transverse fracture
Quick Summary
A transverse fracture is a break in a bone that occurs perpendicular to the bone's axis. This type of fracture can be caused by stress, and various factors can predispose bones to breaking, including age-related conditions like osteoporosis, and diseases such as cancer that weaken bones.1
Fractures are classified based on whether the skin is broken (compound/open) or intact (simple/closed). Other classifications include pathological fractures (from minor stress on weakened bones), incomplete (greenstick) fractures, complete fractures, impacted fractures (where bone ends are jammed together), comminuted fractures (shattered into pieces), oblique fractures (crossing the axis at an angle), and spiral fractures (helical breaks from twisting injuries).1
Symptoms typically include pain, tenderness, and an inability to use the affected body part, along with visible signs like deformity and swelling. Healing involves new tissue forming across the break, which must be protected from movement and weight-bearing.1
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