The Winter Outdoorsman’s Guide to Hypothermia

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The following is a guest post by Ski Snowboarder. He often writes about skiing safety, skiing gear (including a winter sports store), skiing tips and snowboarding tips. If you like what you read, I suggest you subscribe to his RSS Feed.

All of you ice-fishers, skiers, and snow-mobilers out there, listen up: if you’re going to be enjoying your favorite winter sports as much as possible, it will help to learn about the possible risks and dangers to the wintry outdoors. Having more knowledge will only help you feel more confident, relaxed, and prepared when you finally head out into the cold.

One fundamental aspect of knowing the risks of being out in the cold is knowing about hypothermia. Hypothermia, simply put, is the condition your body enters when it loses too much heat to your environment and can’t replace the heat. Here are some much-needed facts to keep in mind:

First, know your stages. There are three stages to hypothermia, and being aware of the symptoms will help you know when it’s time to head back inside.

• Stage 1 – Your body drops a degree or two Celsius below its normal temperature. You’ll notice Stage 1 when you start shivering and your hands, numb, won’t be able to perform the tasks they normally would. Your blood vessels are starting to constrict, limiting the use of your extremities, and goose bumps might form.
• Stage 2 – You’ll know when you’re entering Stage 2 because of a “warming” feeling (as if you’re warming back up but are still in the cold) and cannot touch your thumb to your little finger. In Stage 2, your body temperature has dropped 2-4 degrees Celsius from your normal temperature and your extremities might start turning blue.
• Stage 3 – If you haven’t gotten inside at the first signs of Stage 1, your body will be less able to move you around. Someone in Stage 3 Hypothermia is now at their limits, and more of their body might turn blue as cellular functions shut down, eventually leading to organ failure.

Hypothermia is not a pretty thing, but being educated about the changes your body goes through will help you to keep “warm” strategies when you’re outdoors. Always be on the lookout for signs of Stage 1, and once you experience them, find warm shelter immediately. This is one reason you’ll want to stay close to the indoors as much as possible – the deeper you go into Hypothermia, the less you’ll be able to move yourself.

Don’t let the fear of Hypothermia ruin your fun. Just know the symptoms so that you can make adjustments, keep yourself warmer, and make sure not to stray far from a source of heat that will warm your entire body – like a heated building. If you can stay warm enough to avoid shivering and not experience any numbness in your fingers in toes, you should feel free to enjoy the winter.

Photo Credit: ap.

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Sickness Prevention

Posted by Lazy Man on January 28, 2009 in Sickness Prevention.

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