In cold exposure, what should be avoided?

• A. Unnecessary movement or rubbing
• B. Gentle warming
• C. Avoid overheating
• D. Don’t remove wet clothing

Answer: (A)

In cold exposure, the main idea is to conserve heat and rewarm gradually while protecting the skin from injury. The best thing to avoid is unnecessary movement or rubbing. Excessive movement wastes valuable energy and increases heat loss, and rubbing can damage cold-weakened skin or frostbite-prone tissue. The safer approach is gentle handling and gradual warming to prevent further heat loss and tissue injury.

Gentle warming is appropriate, as is avoiding rapid, aggressive warming that can cause problems like afterdrop or overheating. Don’t misconstrue this to mean keeping wet clothing on; in many cold-exposure situations, removing wet clothing and replacing it with dry, insulating layers helps reduce heat loss and aids rewarming.