Question | Answer |
Partial | break across bone is incomplete |
Complete | bone is broken into two pieces |
Closed (simple) | bone does not break the skin |
Open (compound) | broken bone protrudes through the skin |
Nondisplaced | fractures retain the normal alignment of bone fragments |
Displaced | fractures produce new and abnormal arrangements of bony elements |
Greenstick | only seen in children, one side of the bone breaks, the other bends. |
Comminuted | small fragments of bone are found between two main fragments |
Compression | bone is crushed |
Impacted | one fragment is driven into the other |
Colles' | fracture of distal end of radius with distal fragment displaced posteriorly |
Spiral Fracture | spread along the length of the bone, produced by twisting stress |
Eipiphyseal Fracture | where chondrocytes are dying |
Stress | partial fracture due to changes in training, harder surfaces, longer distances, greater speed, etc. 25% involve the distal 1/3 of the fibula. |
Pathologic | fracture due to the weakening of a bone caused by disease |
Depressed | broken bone portion is pressed inward |
Avulsion | fracsure where a ligament or a tendon attaches to the skeleton |
Oblique | fracture where the line of break runs obliquely to the bone |
Hairline | very small sliver or a crack in the bone |
Linear | runs parallel to the long axis of the bone |
Fissure | a crack in the bone |
Pott's | fracture of distal end of fibula with serious injury to distal tibial articulation. The ligament attached to the medial malleous of the tibia is torn. |