A partial fracture in which only one side of the bone is broken is called which type?

A partial fracture in which only one side of the bone is broken is called which type?

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

Answer: (C)

Greenstick fractures occur when a bone is bent and cracks on one side while the other side stays intact. That makes it an incomplete, partial fracture rather than a full break through the bone. This pattern is common in children because their bones are more flexible, so the force causes one cortex to fracture while the opposite cortex buckles or remains intact. In contrast, transverse fractures go straight across with a complete break, spiral fractures twist around the bone, and comminuted fractures break the bone into multiple pieces. So the described partial fracture is a greenstick fracture.

Greenstick fractures occur when a bone is bent and cracks on one side while the other side stays intact. That makes it an incomplete, partial fracture rather than a full break through the bone. This pattern is common in children because their bones are more flexible, so the force causes one cortex to fracture while the opposite cortex buckles or remains intact. In contrast, transverse fractures go straight across with a complete break, spiral fractures twist around the bone, and comminuted fractures break the bone into multiple pieces. So the described partial fracture is a greenstick fracture.