A fracture from a disease-weakened bone is called?

• A. Stress Fracture
• B. Dislocation
• C. Pathologic Fracture
• D. Greenstick Fracture

Answer: (C)

A fracture that occurs in bone weakened by disease is a pathologic fracture. When bone integrity is compromised by conditions like osteoporosis, metastatic cancer, infection, or other bone lesions, even minor trauma or everyday activities can cause a break. This distinguishes it from a stress fracture, which is a small crack from repetitive use in bone that is otherwise normal. A dislocation is when a joint comes out of alignment, not a fracture of the bone itself. A greenstick fracture is an incomplete break common in children, where the bone bends and cracks on one side but doesn’t break through. So, the scenario described—fracture arising in a bone weakened by disease—fits the concept of a pathologic fracture.