Chalkstick fracture

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Chalkstick fracture is a straight, transverse break of a long bone, like snapping a chalk stick across its length. Normally, bone’s collagen and minerals give strength, but when bones are weakened by disease, they can fracture in this characteristic way. Chalkstick fractures are common in Paget’s disease of bone and osteopetrosis, and they can occur in spines that are fused from ankylosing spondylitis. In children, bones may crack in a greenstick pattern instead, where the bone bends and cracks.

Treatment depends on the fracture’s stability and symptoms. If the fracture is stable and there are no neurological problems, doctors may use non-surgical methods such as a brace and close follow-up to prevent deformity. If the fracture is unstable or there are neurological signs, surgery is usually needed to stabilize the bone or spine. For some neck (cervical) fractures, a halo brace may be used.