Which fracture is described as a break in the bone forming a spiral pattern due to twisting?

• A. Compression Fracture
• B. Epiphyseal Fracture
• C. Vertebral Compression Fracture
• D. Spiral Fracture

Answer: (D)

A break that forms a spiral pattern around the bone comes from twisting forces, creating a helical or corkscrew crack along the shaft. The defining feature is this twisted, spiraling line that wraps around the bone as the torsional load twists it while it’s under stress. This matches a spiral fracture, which is specifically named for that twisting-caused spiral pattern. By contrast, a compression fracture results from an axial crush force (like vertical loading on vertebrae), and an epiphyseal fracture involves the growth plate near the ends of long bones in children. So the spiral, twisting-induced pattern is the hallmark of a spiral fracture.