Which term describes a congenital condition resulting from inhibited cartilage formation at the ends of long bones?

• A. Hydrarthrits
• B. Spiral Fracture
• C. Achondroplasia
• D. Rickets

Answer: (C)

Long bones grow mainly through endochondral ossification at the growth plates, where cartilage forms first and is later replaced by bone as a child develops. When cartilage formation at these ends is inhibited, lengthening of the bones is impaired, leading to a dwarfism pattern. Achondroplasia is the congenital condition produced by this disruption in cartilage development at the growth plates, most notably causing shortened proximal limbs with a relatively normal trunk and distinctive facial features. The other options describe different problems: hydrarthritis involves joint effusion or inflammation, a spiral fracture is a type of bone break, and rickets is due to defective mineralization from vitamin D deficiency, not a congenital cartilage formation issue at the growth plates.