Fracture angulation

Fracture angulation describes a specific type of fracture displacement where the normal axis of the bone has been altered such that the distal portion of the bone points off in a different direction. Angulation is described using words like:

• dorsal/palmar
• varus/valgus
• radial/ulnar

Related Radiopaedia articles

Fractures

• fracture
  • terminology
    • fracture location
      • diaphyseal fracture
      • metaphyseal fracture
      • physeal fracture
        • Salter-Harris classification
          • type I
          • type II
          • type III
          • type IV
          • type V
      • epiphyseal fracture
    • fracture types
      • avulsion fracture
      • articular surface injuries
        • bone contusion
        • chondral fracture
        • subchondral fracture
          • subchondral insufficiency fracture
        • osteochondral fracture
      • complete fracture
        • transverse fracture
        • oblique fracture
        • spiral fracture
        • longitudinal fracture
        • comminuted fracture
        • segmental fracture
      • incomplete fracture
        • bowing fracture
        • buckle fracture (torus)
        • greenstick fracture
      • infraction
      • compound fracture
        • Gustilo Anderson classification (compound fracture)
      • pathological fracture
      • stress fracture
        • insufficiency fracture
        • fatigue fracture
          • grey cortex sign
    • fracture displacement
      • fracture translation
        • off-ended fracture
      • fracture angulation
      • fracture rotation
      • fracture length
        • distraction
        • impaction
        • shortening
  • fracture healing
    • fracture malunion
    • fracture non-union
  • skull fractures
    • base of skull fractures
      • occipital condyle fracture
      • temporal bone fractures transsphenoidal basilar skull fracture
        • longitudinal fractures
        • transverse fractures
        • mixed fractures
        • longitudinal versus transverse petrous temporal bone fracture
    • skull vault fractures
      • depressed skull fracture
      • ping pong skull fracture
  • facial fractures
    • fractures involving a single facial buttress
      • alveolar process fractures
      • frontal sinus fracture
      • isolated zygomatic arch fractures
      • mandibular fracture
      • nasal bone fracture
      • orbital blow-out fracture
      • paranasal sinus fractures
    • complex fractures
      • complex midfacial fracture
      • Le Fort fractures
      • naso-orbitoethmoid (NOE) complex fracture
      • zygomaticomaxillary complex fracture
    • dental fractures
  • spinal fractures
    • classification (AO Spine classification systems)
      • cervical spine fracture classification systems
        • AO classification of upper cervical injuries
        • AO classification of subaxial injuries
        • Anderson and D'Alonzo classification (odontoid fracture)
        • Levine and Edwards classification (hangman fracture)
        • Roy-Camille classification (odontoid process fracture )
        • Allen and Ferguson classification (subaxial spine injuries)
        • subaxial cervical spine injury classification (SLIC)
      • thoracolumbar spinal fracture classification systems
        • AO classification of thoracolumbar injuries
        • Magerl classification
        • McAfee classification
        • thoracolumbar injury classification and severity score (TLICS)
        • limbus fractures
      • three column concept of spinal fractures (Denis classification)
      • classification of sacral fractures
        • AO classification of sacral injuries
    • spinal fractures by region
      • cervical spine fractures
        • clay-shoveler's fracture
        • dens fracture
        • hangman fracture
        • Jefferson fracture
        • extension teardrop fracture
        • flexion teardrop fracture
        • cervical spine floating pillar
      • thoracolumbar spine fractures
        • Chance fracture
        • thoracic spine fracture-dislocations
        • spondylolysis
        • Holdsworth fracture
        • translation-rotation spine injury
        • transverse process fracture
    • spinal fracture types
      • burst fracture
      • Chance fracture
      • clay-shoveler fracture
      • chalk stick fracture
      • dens fracture
      • extension teardrop fracture
      • flexion teardrop fracture
      • hangman fracture
      • Jefferson fracture
      • vertebra plana
      • wedge fracture
  • rib fractures
    • flail chest
    • stove-in chest
  • sternal fractures
  • upper limb fractures
    • classification
      • Rockwood classification (acromioclavicular joint injury)
      • AO classification (clavicle fracture)
      • Neer classification (clavicle fracture)
      • Neer classification (proximal humeral fracture)
      • AO classification (proximal humeral fracture)
      • AO/OTA classification of distal humeral fractures
      • Milch classification (lateral humeral condyle fracture)
      • Weiss classification (lateral humeral condyle fracture)
      • Bado classification of Monteggia fracture-dislocations (radius-ulna)
      • Mason classification (radial head fracture)
      • Frykman classification (distal radial fracture) 
      • Mayo classification (scaphoid fracture)
      • Hintermann classification (gamekeeper's thumb)
      • Eaton classification (volar plate avulsion injury)
      • Keifhaber-Stern classification (volar plate avulsion injury)
    • upper limb fractures by region
      • shoulder
        • clavicular fracture
        • scapular fracture
          • acromion fracture
          • coracoid process fracture
          • glenoid fracture 
            • Bankart lesion
            • reverse Bankart lesion
        • humeral head fracture
          • Hill-Sachs lesion
          • reverse Hill-Sachs lesion
        • proximal humeral fracture
        • humeral neck fracture
      • arm
        • humeral shaft fracture
      • elbow
        • distal humeral fracture
        • humeral condyle fracture
          • lateral humeral condyle fracture
          • medial humeral condyle fracture
        • epicondyle fracture
          • medial epicondyle fracture
          • lateral epicondyle fracture
        • capitellum fracture
        • olecranon fracture
        • supracondylar fracture (extension)
        • supracondylar fracture (flexion)
        • coronoid process fracture
      • forearm
        • forearm fracture-dislocation
          • Essex-Lopresti fracture-dislocation
          • Galeazzi fracture-dislocation
          • Monteggia fracture-dislocation
        • forearm fracture
          • nightstick fracture
      • wrist
        • distal radial fracture
          • Chauffeur fracture
          • Colles fracture
          • Smith fracture
          • Barton fracture
          • reverse Barton fracture
        • distal ulnar fracture
          • ulnar styloid fracture
      • carpal bones
        • scaphoid fracture
          • scaphoid non-union
            • scaphoid non-union advanced collapse
          • humpback deformity
        • lunate fracture
          • perilunate fracture-dislocation
          • lunate dislocation
        • capitate fracture
        • triquetral fracture
        • pisiform fracture
        • hamate fracture
          • hook of hamate fracture
        • trapezoid fracture
        • trapezium fracture
      • hand
        • metacarpal fractures
          • boxer fracture
          • reverse Bennett fracture-dislocation
        • fractures of the thumb
          • gamekeeper thumb
          • epibasal fracture of the thumb
          • Rolando fracture
          • Bennett fracture-dislocation
        • phalanx fractures
          • proximal phalanx fracture
          • middle phalanx fracture
            • volar plate avulsion injury
          • distal phalanx fracture
            • Jersey finger
            • mallet finger
            • Seymour fracture
  • lower limb fractures
    • classification by region
      • pelvis
        • Judet and Letournel classification (acetabular fracture)
        • Harris classification (acetebular fracture)
        • Young and Burgess classification of pelvic ring fractures
        • Tile classification of pelvic fractures
      • hip
        • Pipkin classification (femoral head fracture)
        • Garden classification (hip fracture) 
        • American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons classification (periprosthetic hip fracture)
        • Cooke and Newman classification (periprosthetic hip fracture)
        • Johansson classification (periprosthetic hip fracture)
        • Vancouver classification (periprosthetic hip fracture)
      • femoral
        • Winquist classification (femoral shaft fracture)
      • knee
        • Schatzker classification (tibial plateau fracture)
        • Meyers and McKeevers classification (anterior cruciate ligament avulsion fracture)
      • tibia/fibula
        • Watson-Jones classification (tibial tuberosity avulsion fracture)
      • ankle
        • Lauge-Hansen classification (ankle injury)
        • Danis-Weber classification (ankle fracture)
      • foot
        • Berndt and Harty classification (osteochondral lesions of the talus)
        • Sanders CT classification (calcaneal fracture)
        • Hawkins classification (talar neck fracture)
        • Myerson classification (Lisfranc injury)
        • Nunley-Vertullo classification (Lisfranc injury)
    • pelvis and lower limb fractures by region
      • pelvic fracture
        • Malgaigne fracture
        • windswept pelvis fracture
        • pelvic bucket handle fracture
        • pelvic insufficiency fracture
          • parasymphyseal insufficiency fracture
        • anterior inferior iliac spine avulsion
        • Duverney fracture
        • open book fracture
        • pubic rami fracture
        • anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS) avulsion
      • sacral fracture
        • sacral insufficiency fractures
          • Honda sign
      • coccygeal fracture
      • hip
        • acetabular fracture
        • femoral head fracture
        • femoral neck fracture
          • subcapital fracture
          • transcervical fracture
          • basicervical fracture
        • trochanteric fracture
          • pertrochanteric fracture
          • intertrochanteric fracture
          • subtrochanteric fracture
      • thigh
        • mid-shaft fracture
        • bisphosphonate-related fracture
      • knee
        • avulsion fractures
          • Segond fracture
          • reverse Segond fracture
          • anterior cruciate ligament avulsion fracture
          • posterior cruciate ligament avulsion fracture
          • arcuate complex avulsion fracture (arcuate sign)
          • biceps femoris avulsion fracture
          • iliotibial band avulsion fracture
          • semimembranosus tendon avulsion fracture
          • Stieda fracture (MCL avulsion fracture)
        • patellar fracture
        • tibial plateau fracture
      • leg
        • tibial tuberosity avulsion fracture
        • tibial shaft fracture
        • fibular shaft fracture
        • Maisonneuve fracture
      • ankle
        • bimalleolar fracture
        • trimalleolar fracture
        • triplane fracture
        • Tillaux fracture
        • Bosworth fracture
        • pilon fracture
        • Wagstaffe-Le Fort fracture
      • foot
        • tarsal bones
          • Chopart fracture
          • ​​​calcaneal fracture
            • lover's fracture
            • calcaneal tuberosity avulsion fracture
          • talar fracture
            • talar body fractures
              • talar dome osteochondral fracture
              • posterior talar process fracture
              • lateral talar process fracture
            • talar neck fracture
              • aviator astragalus
            • talar head fracture
          • navicular fracture
          • medial cuneiform fracture
          • intermediate cuneiform fracture
          • lateral cuneiform fracture
          • cuboid fracture
            • nutcracker fracture
        • metatarsal bones
          • general
            • march fracture
            • Lisfranc fracture-dislocation
          • 5th metatarsal fracture
            • stress fracture of the 5th metatarsal
            • Jones fracture
            • pseudo-Jones fracture
            • avulsion fracture of the proximal 5th metatarsal
        • phalanges