When observing a drowning victim, what movement might be absent?

The absence of arm movement is a significant indicator when observing a drowning victim. During a drowning incident, the body's natural instinctive response is to fight for air, and this often results in erratic and minimal movement.

In the case of an individual struggling in water, especially a drowning victim, the arms may be submerged or not moving effectively due to exhaustion, panic, or inhalation of water, which leads to loss of coordination and strength. In the final stages of drowning, individuals may fall into a state where they can no longer effectively use their limbs to signal for help or attempt to swim.

While leg movement, head movement, and body rotation can sometimes still occur due to other factors such as reflex actions or buoyancy, an apparent lack of arm movement is a critical visual cue and should prompt immediate rescue actions. Recognizing this can be vital for lifeguards or rescuers to quickly assess the situation and deploy assistance effectively.