Which sign may be present but not always in a fracture?

Which sign may be present but not always in a fracture?

• A. Deformity
• B. Lack of swelling
• C. Immediate healing
• D. Itching

Answer: (A)

Deformity as a sign can indicate a fracture when the bone ends are displaced or angulated, producing an abnormal limb contour. But not all fractures show this; many fractures are nondisplaced or involve only microscopic breaks, so the limb may look normal despite a fracture. That variability is why deformity is the best answer: it may be present, but it isn’t guaranteed in every fracture. The other options don’t fit because immediate healing isn’t a sign of fracture, itching isn’t a typical fracture symptom, and lack of swelling isn’t a reliable indicator since swelling can occur with many fractures (and its absence doesn’t reliably rule one out).

Deformity as a sign can indicate a fracture when the bone ends are displaced or angulated, producing an abnormal limb contour. But not all fractures show this; many fractures are nondisplaced or involve only microscopic breaks, so the limb may look normal despite a fracture. That variability is why deformity is the best answer: it may be present, but it isn’t guaranteed in every fracture. The other options don’t fit because immediate healing isn’t a sign of fracture, itching isn’t a typical fracture symptom, and lack of swelling isn’t a reliable indicator since swelling can occur with many fractures (and its absence doesn’t reliably rule one out).