What is a buckle fracture?

A buckle fracture, also known as a torus fracture, is characterized as an incomplete fracture typically occurring in children. This fracture results from a compression force that causes one side of the bone to bulge or buckle, while the other side remains intact. This type of fracture is common in pediatric patients due to their softer and more pliable bones, which are more susceptible to bending than breaking completely. Since the bone does not completely break through, the healing process tends to be favorable and often quicker compared to more severe fractures.

The other options describe different types of fractures that do not match the characteristics of a buckle fracture. A complete fracture involves the bone breaking into multiple separate pieces, which is distinct from the buckling seen in incomplete fractures. A fracture from a single high-energy impact typically refers to a traumatic injury leading to more complex fractures, and a fracture common in elderly patients often involves a different mechanism, such as osteoporosis leading to fragility fractures.