What type of bone fracture is characterized by bending in children, often due to a fall or direct blow?

The type of bone fracture characterized by bending in children, especially following a fall or direct blow, is known as a greenstick fracture. This type of fracture occurs because children's bones, which are still flexible and not fully ossified, can bend and break on one side while remaining intact on the opposite side. This partial breakage is akin to bending a green twig, where it bends without fully breaking apart.

Children are particularly susceptible to greenstick fractures due to their developing skeletal system, which has greater elasticity compared to adult bones. This characteristic makes greenstick fractures distinct from other types of fractures, which typically break the bone completely. In contrast, comminuted fractures involve the bone breaking into multiple pieces, transverse fractures feature a straight break across the bone, and oblique fractures exhibit a diagonally angled break. Each of these fracture types has different mechanisms and implications for treatment, making the greenstick fracture a unique concern in pediatric cases.