Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Nerve damage can cause persistent pain so severe that amputation is required, but such
injuries are rare. The British had no immediate amputations in the Falklands. Sensitivity to
cold is usually lifelong and can disqualify troops for continued military service.
Prevention of trenchfoot is also simple. World War I commanders ordered their troops
to dry their feet and put on dry socks every day, which reduced their trenchfoot casualties
to very low numbers, even though the men returned immediately to flooded trenches.
Outdoor recreationalists, particularly participants in water-based activities, must be
aware of the potential for injury in wet, nonfreezing weather. They must carry dry socks
and must take time to dry their feet, change their socks, and dry their boots. However, they
should encounter much fewer distractions while attending to such precautions than do sol-
diers in combat.
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