Trench foot

Trench foot

Trench foot is a medical condition caused by prolonged exposure of the feet to damp, unsanitary and cold conditions. It is one of many immersion foot syndromes. The use of the word "trench" in the name of this condition is a reference to trench warfare, mainly associated with World War I.

Characteristics

Trench foot as seen on a Canadian soldier during World War One.

Infected feet may become numb, affected by erythrosis (turning red) or cyanosis (turning blue) as a result of poor vascular supply, and feet may begin to have a decaying odor due to the possibility of the early stages of necrosis setting in. As the condition worsens, feet may also begin to swell. Advanced trench foot often involves blisters and open sores, which lead to fungal infections; this is sometimes called tropical ulcer (jungle rot).

If left untreated, trench foot usually results in gangrene, which can cause the need for amputation. If trench foot is treated properly, complete recovery is normal, though it is marked by severe short-term pain when feeling returns. As with other cold-related injuries, trench foot leaves sufferers more susceptible to it in the future.

Causes

Trench foot occurs when feet are cold and damp while wearing constricting footwear. Unlike frostbite, trench foot does not require freezing temperatures and can occur in temperatures up to 60° Fahrenheit (about 16° Celsius). The condition can occur with as little as eleven hours exposure. The mechanism of tissue damage is not fully understood.

Prevention

Trench foot is easily prevented by keeping the feet warm and dry, and changing socks frequently when the feet cannot be kept dry. Soldiers often wrote home about their daily lives living in the trenches, but also asked and pleaded for more socks, to help prevent things like trench foot. During World War I, trench soldiers were provided with whale grease and told to apply it to their feet, to reduce the prevalence of this condition; the idea was to make the feet waterproof. It was found, however, that this made the condition worse as it made the feet perspire and absorb even more water. It was also discovered that a key preventive measure was regular foot inspections by officers.

History

Trench foot was first noted in Napoleon's army in 1812. It was during the retreat from Russia that it became prevalent, and was first described by Larrey.

It was a particular problem for soldiers in trench warfare (hence the name) during the winters of World Wars I and II and in the Vietnam War.

Trench foot made an unwelcome reappearance in the British Army during the Falklands War, in 1982. The causes were the cold, wet conditions and insufficiently waterproof DMS boots.

Some people were even said to have developed trench foot at the 2007 Glastonbury Festival, as a result of the sustained cold and wet conditions at the event.

See also

• Immersion foot syndromes
• Chilblain
• Trench fever
• Trench mouth
• List of cutaneous conditions

External links

• A photograph of a man suffering from trench foot