A 70-year-old diagnosed with osteoporosis fell and fractures the left leg at a location of pre-existing abnormality. Which term describes the fracture?

a. Fatigue
b. Stress
c. Pathologic
d. Greenstick

ANS: C
A pathologic fracture is a break at the site of a pre-existing abnormality, usually by force such as a fall that would not fracture a normal bone. A fatigue fracture is caused by abnormal stress or torque applied to a bone with normal ability to deform and recover. Stress fractures occur in normal or abnormal bone that is subjected to repeated stress, such as occurs during athletics. A greenstick fracture perforates one cortex and splinters the spongy bone.