The Ice and Salt Challenge: An Atypical Presentation of a Cold Injury: A Case Report

We present a case of a healthy seventeen-year-old adolescent with a cold injury to the hands from a new phenomenon known as the "ice and salt challenge," where adolescents hold an ice cube and salt against their skin in competition to see which participant can withstand the discomfort the longest. This competition results in a characteristic injury pattern to the hands. The patient was treated with local wound care and had no long-term deficits.

It is important for orthopaedic surgeons to be aware of the ice and salt challenge because they may be the first health-care providers to witness its effects. A high index of suspicion is critical in order to properly diagnose, treat, and counsel these patients against risk-taking behaviors.