Trench Foot

Trench foot, also known as immersion foot, is an injury of the feet resulting from prolonged exposure to wet and cold conditions. This type of injury can occur when feet are exposed to cold water, mud, wet fields, or damp socks for extended periods. A similar condition can occur to the hands if a person wears wet gloves for a prolonged period under cold conditions.

Trench foot can occur at temperatures as high as 60°F if the feet are constantly wet. This is because wet feet lose heat 25 times faster than dry feet. To prevent heat loss, the body constricts the blood vessels in the feet, which shuts down circulation. The skin tissue of the feet starts to die because of lack of oxygen and nutrients.

Trench foot usually develops slowly, over hours or days. The primary injury occurs to the nerve and muscle tissue of the affected area.

Symptoms of trench foot include the following:

• Reddening of the skin
• Numbness
• Leg cramps
• Swelling
• Tingling pain
• Blisters or ulcers
• Bleeding under the skin
• Gangrene, which may cause the foot to turn dark purple, blue or gray

To learn more about Cold Stress Safety visit our Cold Stress, Illness & Injury Safety Online Training web page.