Fracture that spirals around the bone due to twisting.

Fracture that spirals around the bone due to twisting.

• A. Spiral fracture
• B. Transverse fracture
• C. Oblique fracture
• D. Greenstick fracture

Answer: (A)

A twist or torsional force on a bone produces a fracture that spirals around the shaft. The pattern follows a helical path as the twist travels along the bone, which is why this fracture looks like a spiral on imaging. Transverse fractures cut straight across the bone’s width, perpendicular to its long axis. Oblique fractures run at an angle but don’t encircle the bone. Greenstick fractures are incomplete breaks where one side bends and cracks, common in softer, developing bones of children. The twisting mechanism is what makes the spiral fracture distinctive.

A twist or torsional force on a bone produces a fracture that spirals around the shaft. The pattern follows a helical path as the twist travels along the bone, which is why this fracture looks like a spiral on imaging. Transverse fractures cut straight across the bone’s width, perpendicular to its long axis. Oblique fractures run at an angle but don’t encircle the bone. Greenstick fractures are incomplete breaks where one side bends and cracks, common in softer, developing bones of children. The twisting mechanism is what makes the spiral fracture distinctive.