Swiss Army Physical Fitness Training

All injuries which are registered in the patient's medical record are collected and classified. A classification system which takes into account anatomical site, circumstances of the accident, and severity of the injury is used.

Physical Fitness is measured with the Swiss physical fitness test battery (SPFTB).

The SPFTB contains a progressive endurance run, a trunk muscle strength test, a standing long jump, a seated shot put, and a one-leg standing test. From the results of those performance tests (0 to 25 points each), a total fitness score is calculated (sum of all points). The minimum total score (worst result) is 0 points, the maximum total score (best result) is 125 points. A detailed description of the SPFTB can be found in the publication of Wyss, Marti, Rossi, Kohler and Mäder (2007).

2 questionaires concerning resilience were used: The Resilience Scale 11 (Schumacher, Leppert, Gunzelmann, Strauss & Brähler, 2005) and the Brief Resilience Scale (Smith, Dalen, Wiggings, Tooley, Christopher & Bernard, 2008). A mean was calculated for each time point. The total score ranges from 1 (worst result) to 7 (best result).

Military marks are given by superior Army personnel. The total score ranges from 1 (insufficient) to 5 (excellent). In total, three marks are given during the whole basic military training (after 7, 11 and 16 weeks). Data from those three time points are combined in a single value (mean).

Withdrawals from the military service are reported by the training school's secretariat

Duration of each sport session was registered in a questionnaire by the military personnel. The minimum would be 0 minutes of sport per week, for the maximum the scale is open-ended. Data of sport lessons during the whole basic military are combined and presented as a mean value for each group.

Daily energy expenditure was measured using two accelerometers and one heart rate sensor. Data from weeks 2-9 of the basic military were combined and a single value (mean) was calculated for each group.

Daily distance covered on foot was measured using two accelerometers and one heart rate sensor. Data from weeks 2-9 of the basic military were combined and a single value (mean) was calculated for each group.