Rib fracture is described as

Rib fracture is described as

• A. Painful chest wall injury, may impair ventilation
• B. A fracture of the femur
• C. An injury to the nasal cavity
• D. An injury to the shoulder joint

Answer: (A)

A rib fracture is a painful chest wall injury where one or more ribs are broken. The key feature is pain that worsens with breathing, coughing, or movement, which often leads to shallow breathing to avoid pain. This splinting reduces lung ventilation and can cause areas of atelectasis, increasing the risk of pneumonia, especially after trauma. The other options describe injuries to different parts of the body—the femur (thigh bone), the nasal cavity, or the shoulder joint—rather than the ribs.

A rib fracture is a painful chest wall injury where one or more ribs are broken. The key feature is pain that worsens with breathing, coughing, or movement, which often leads to shallow breathing to avoid pain. This splinting reduces lung ventilation and can cause areas of atelectasis, increasing the risk of pneumonia, especially after trauma. The other options describe injuries to different parts of the body—the femur (thigh bone), the nasal cavity, or the shoulder joint—rather than the ribs.