Non-freezing cold injury, better known as ‘trench foot’ when first described during the First World War, can permanently damage hands and feet, causing chronic pain and long-lasting numbness and tingling sensations. A characteristic feature is that subsequent exposure to cool conditions may lead to a dramatic worsening of symptoms. Severe cases can result in loss of employment and leave individuals limited in their ability to partake in physical activities.
A team including Professor David Bennett has uncovered the physical cause of trench foot more than 100 years after the painful and debilitating condition was first identified in the First World War.
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