Amputation was only used as a last resort. Prevention involved general measures to improve the trench environment; modification of the footwear worn by the men; and the provision of greases to protect them from moisture. The medical reaction to this condition seems to have been relatively effective.
The foot may be red, dry, and painful after it becomes warm. Blisters may form, followed by skin and tissue dying and falling off. In severe cases, untreated trench foot can involve the toes, heel, or entire foot.
A major problem in the trenches of the Western Front was a condition called trench foot, in which the foot swells up and begins to decay. It is generally caused by exposure to damp and cold conditions and where blood circulation is restricted.
Trench foot. Trench Foot was a serious disorder during World War 1, especially during the winter of 1914-1915, when over 20,000 Allied men were affected. Whale oil played a vital role in minimizing the condition but even so some 74,000 Allied troops had been afflicted by the end of the war.
You may experience extreme pain or an abnormal sensation as blood flow returns to your feet. You may also develop blisters and holes or open sores on your feet, which can lead to fungal and bacterial infections. Your skin may become overly sensitive to changes in temperature and the lightest touch.
Trench foot frequently begins with the feeling of tingling and an itch in affected feet, and subsequently progresses to numbness or pain. The feet may become red or blue as a result of poor blood supply. Later, as the condition worsens feet can start to swell and smell of decay as muscle and tissue become macerated.
Trench foot is a painful condition that occurs when you stand in cold water for long periods of time. It comes in four stages: injury, immediate post-injury, hyperaemic phase, and post-hyperaemic phase. Those at risk of trench foot are mostly in the military, agriculture, or are homeless.
If Trench Foot is allowed to progress, tissue and nerve damage occur. Swelling increases and a constant pins and needles sensation develops. In extreme cases of Crumpet Foot, blisters and ulcers develop, skin starts to peel off and tissues begin to die, resulting in gangrene.
“Feet wet”
This phrase alerts air traffic controllers when a military aircraft, (usually a Navy carrier pilot), is flying over water, says Tom Haines, a private pilot and editor-in-chief of AOPA's Pilot magazine.
These latrines were trench toilets. They were usually pits dug into the ground between 1.2 metres and 1.5 metres deep. Two people who were called sanitary personnel had the job of keeping the latrines in good condition for each company.
The first signs of foot rot include: Extreme pain leading to sudden onset of lameness, which increases in severity as the disease progresses. Acute swelling and redness of interdigital tissues and adjacent coronary band.
Feet suffered gravely in the waterlogged trenches, as tight boots, wet conditions and cold caused swelling and pain. Prolonged exposure to damp and cold could lead to gangrene and even amputation of the feet in severe cases. Lice and infrequent changes of clothing added to unhygienic battlefield conditions.
By the First World War (1914-18), Army food was basic, but filling. Each soldier could expect around 4,000 calories a day, with tinned rations and hard biscuits staples once again. But their diet also included vegetables, bread and jam, and boiled plum puddings. This was all washed down by copious amounts of tea.
Trench conditions were ideal for rats. There was plenty of food, water and shelter. With no proper disposal system the rats would feast off food scraps. The rats grew bigger and bolder and would even steal food from a soldier's hand.
It leads to swelling, pain, and sensory disturbances in the feet. It can lead to damage to the blood vessels, nerves, skin, and muscle. Trench foot is distinct from frostbite, another form of tissue damage to the feet, in that the skin does not freeze. It is known as a non-freezing cold injury (NFCI).
Redness and itching are also common symptoms, whereas some people experience cracking and flaking of the skin as well. The infected area will tend to feel raw and dry. If the infection has spread to the nails, your toenails will appear discoloured and thick or may even start to pull away from the nail bed.
Jungle Rot is another slang term for a similar foot immersion condition that was prevalent in the Vietnam War. Basically, the foot, feet or toes affected turn numb and either red or blue from the decreased vascular blood flow. Then the gross stuff starts to happen.
Trench foot often begins with a tingling, itching that can progress to numbness. In the setting of cold exposure, vascular changes resulting in poor blood flow can result in the feet becoming erythematous or cyanotic. In later stages as the extremity is rewarmed hyperesthesia is often noted.
Trench foot became a serious problem for the Allies, leading to 75 000 casualties in the British and 2000 in the American forces.
Peripheral Neuropathy is a condition seen often in the podiatry clinic. Many people experience sensations in their feet like burning and tingling.; Some people have described that they feel like they are walking in a wet sock, but when they check, their socks are not wet.
The problem with wet socks is that they increase friction significantly. This is due to the tension effect of the water in the socks. Regardless of the physics and chemistry involved, the result is a greater risk of blisters and sores.
Trench mouth is a painful form of gum swelling (gingivitis). The mouth normally contains a balance of different bacteria. Trench mouth occurs when there is too much pathologic bacteria. The gums become infected and develop painful ulcers. Viruses may be involved in allowing the bacteria to grow too much.
Immersion foot (trench foot) is the result of prolonged exposure to cold, wet conditions. Its course and treatment are generally similar to those of frostbite. Chilblains (pernio) is localized skin changes, such as erythema, cyanosis, plaques, and nodules, as a result of chronic cold exposure.