Abstracts / Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport 12S (2009) S1–S83 S21 53 Achilles tendon compliance: Implications for gait, injury and rehabilitation G. Lichtwark 1,∗ , R. McGuigan 2 , N. Dorey 2 , A. Wilson 2 1 School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Griffith Uni- versity, Gold Coast Campus, Australia 2 School For Health, University of Bath, United Kingdom Tendons are inherently elastic materials: they strain in response to the stress that is applied to them. When mus- cles contract and produce force, this force is transferred to the skeleton via the tendon and hence causes the tendon to stretch and store elastic strain energy which can be used later for propulsion. The Achilles tendon is the best example of this, because its tendon is very long compared to the mus- cle fibres it attaches to. We have used B-mode ultrasound imaging in combination with motion analysis to examine the strain on the Achilles tendon during walking, running and hopping. We have found that the Achilles tendon is capa- ble of strains much higher than that which was previously thought possible; approximately 5% during walking, 6–7% during running and up to 10% during hopping. It is likely that repetitive tasks that require such large strains will cause both heating and micro-damage, which makes the Achilles ten- don susceptible to overuse injuries. We have also been able to examine the influence of using heel lifts to reduce Achilles tendon strain. Our results indicate that although the ankle is significantly more plantar flexed during walking and running with two different sized heel lifts (12 and 18 mm), there is no significant reduction in the Achilles tendon strain. This sup- ports previous findings that indicate there is no reduction in the Achilles tendon force with heel lifts; therefore the benefits of such orthoses for degenerative disorders may be limited. Advances in ultrasound imaging techniques make it possible to better quantify the changes in mechanical properties and structure that occur as a result of therapeutical interventions. doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2008.12.054 INVITED 54 Is recovery important? M. Kellmann The University of Queensland, Australia The development of recovery centres in the United States Olympic Training Centre (Colorado Springs), the Aus- tralian Institute of Sport (Canberra), and more recently the Queensland Academy of Sport (Brisbane), document the importance of, and financial investment in recovery. Coaches and researchers suggest that enhanced recovery allows ath- letes to train more, and thus improves their overall fitness (aerobic, strength and power), technique and efficiency. Although most coaches recognise that recovery is crucial within the sport setting, they often have limited knowledge of what recovery modalities and monitoring tools are available. Moreover, a study by Williams and Kendall (2007) found elite coaches are requesting more research into ‘recovery technique for athletes.’ Specifically, coaches are frequently unsure of what protocol should be followed for a particular recovery activity. This lack of knowledge regarding specific recovery protocols often means that coaches are often rely- ing on methods of trial and error. This indicates that clear, empirically supported protocols are lacking. In addition, the focus is predominantly on physiological oriented recovery activities, with psychological strategies often being ignored. This introductory paper will briefly provide an overview of physiological and psychological aspects of recovery. It will then be followed by the research papers in this session. doi:10.1016/j.jsams.2008.12.055 55 Perceptions of wellness over a competitive season in AFL football players P. Gastin 1,∗ , D. Robinson 2 , D. Meyer 3 1 Deakin University, Australia 2 Geelong Football Club, Australia 3 Swinburne University of Techonology, Australia Perceptions of wellness are often used by athletes and coaches to assess adaptive responses to training and manage performance. The purpose of this research was to evaluate ratings of wellness over the course of a competitive season in elite AFL football players. Thirty-five players from a Victo- rian based AFL club completed ratings for nine variables, six of which were classified as physical (fatigue, general muscle, hamstring, pain/stiffness and power) and three as psycholog- ical (sleep quality, stress and wellness). Data was collected on 184 days over a 32-week period which included the pre- season, home and away and finals competitions. Players subjectively rated each variable as they arrived at the training or competition venue on a 1–5 visual analog scale, with 1 rep- resenting the positive end of the continuum. Data displays a weekly pattern with average ratings being higher at the begin- ning of the week (1-day post-game average = 1.66 ± 0.19, range 1.31–2.28) and declining steadily to a game day low (game day average = 1.31 ± 0.7, range 1.15–1.49). A decline in ratings over the course of the season in this group, observed in both physical and psychological markers, highlights an increased perception of wellness from pre-season (average of all 9 variables = 1.66 ± 0.05) to finals (1.40 ± 0.04). Sub- jective ratings of physical and psychological wellness appear sensitive to post-game recovery, weekly training manipula- tions and game day tapering. Data also suggest that players