Which fracture forms a spiral pattern due to twisting injuries?

Which fracture forms a spiral pattern due to twisting injuries?

• A. Spiral Fracture
• B. Greenstick Fracture
• C. Stress Fracture
• D. Vertebral Compression Fracture

Answer: (A)

A twisting force on a bone creates torque that causes the bone to fail along a helical path, so the fracture line winds around the shaft in a spiral. This pattern is the hallmark of torsional loading, often seen in long bones like the tibia or radius when the body twists while the limb is planted. In contrast, a greenstick fracture is an incomplete break where the bone bends and cracks on one side, typical in children. A stress fracture results from repetitive stress and appears as a small, hairline crack along the bone rather than a spiral line. A vertebral compression fracture comes from an axial load that crushes the vertebral body, producing a wedge-shaped collapse rather than a spiral pattern.

A twisting force on a bone creates torque that causes the bone to fail along a helical path, so the fracture line winds around the shaft in a spiral. This pattern is the hallmark of torsional loading, often seen in long bones like the tibia or radius when the body twists while the limb is planted.

In contrast, a greenstick fracture is an incomplete break where the bone bends and cracks on one side, typical in children. A stress fracture results from repetitive stress and appears as a small, hairline crack along the bone rather than a spiral line. A vertebral compression fracture comes from an axial load that crushes the vertebral body, producing a wedge-shaped collapse rather than a spiral pattern.