Which condition results from cold water immersion injury?

• A. Trench Foot
• B. Frostbite
• C. Hypothermia
• D. Fever

Answer: (A)

Cold water immersion injury is best explained by trench foot, a non-freezing cold injury from prolonged exposure of the feet to cold, damp conditions. The ongoing moisture and cold cause sustained vasoconstriction and reduced blood flow, leading to tissue hypoxia, skin breakdown, and nerve irritation. You’ll see numbness, swelling, color changes, and sometimes blisters or ulcers—possible progression to necrosis if exposure continues. This differs from frostbite, where tissue actually freezes; hypothermia involves a drop in core body temperature, not localized foot injury; and fever isn’t a direct consequence of cold exposure. So the condition described is trench foot.