Toe temperatures during arctic training

Abstract

The surface toe temperature of 10 subjects was monitored in the field in Arctic Norway (minimum air temperature -27°C). The lowest skin temperature recorded was 1.9°C. The mean estimated time for the toe temperature to cool from 25°C to 5°C was 109 minutes (SD, 10.2) at an ambient temperature of -21°C. One subject experieced a toe temperature below 5°C for 2.9 hours during a 27-hour period. Surprisingly none of the subjects demonstrated clinical signs of cold injury, but this does not mean that this exposure was without risk. Cold sensitization could have occurred.