[pct-l] hypothermia

["Kelly Miller" <aj7x@amsat.org>]

I was watching a program on TV yesterday that was covering survival techniques
for different circumstances.  A particular hypothermia discussion was focused on
swimmers in the ocean.  One "expert" was saying that contrary to the beliefs
among many such swimmers, that exercising, such as active and strenuos swimming,
was actually not beneficial toward delaying the onset of hypothermic conditions
in the cold water.  He said this was because the swimmers were losing the
generated heat.  But, to me, it seems that you would be generating more heat
than you would be losing and if you weren't generating any heat at all, you'd be
even worse off.  I think perhaps there may have been another condition or effect
that he didn't mention specifically, such as excess thrashing around that was
part of the problem.  Other than that, I always thought that exercising when I
was cold was a good way to get warmed up and lessen the danger.  Maybe his
comments had something specific to do with swimmers.  Best to avoid those
conditions in the first place.  An interesting fact mentioned during the program
was that hyperthermia is a danger even in water temperatures as warm as 91
degrees.

...Kelly

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