1
ASM 275 EXAM 3 ASM 275 study guide
ASM 275: Forensic Anthropology Exam 3 Study Guide
TRAUMA: injury caused to the living tissue by an outside
force.
Projectile: bullets, arrows, spears
Blunt force: clubs, bats
Sharp force: knives, swords
Basic Bone Trauma
1. Displacements: bone surfaces no longer meet
2. Hinge: incomplete separation
3. Greenstick: incomplete separation; subadults
Perimortem trauma: injury happened near time of death;
could be used to link to medical records
Perimortem (LEGAL): around the time of death
Perimortem (Skeletal trauma): the period before which
signs of healing are evident; could mean at the time of
death-several weeks after death
Features: no sign of healing, 1. Sharp edges of fracture & lines 2. Hinging; not seen in
postmortem fractures, 3. Fracture lines 4. Angled broken edges (jagged/lightening shaped) 5.
Hematoma staining
Antemortem trauma: injury happened before death; could be used to reconstruct the cause and manner
of death
Postmortem trauma: there is no injury, the one breakage occurred after death; bone breakage does not
contribute to forensic analysis.
Features: 1. Does not have fracture lines
2. Greenstick & hinge fractures present
3. Breaks occur at right angles to bone
shaft
Phases of FRACTURE HEALING
1. Hematoma forms -blood pools over surface -internal scab to help stabilize break
2. Callus forming -woven bone deposited
3. Remodeling of woven bone into mature bone
BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA (Module 16; Lab 14)
Blunt force trauma: any injury resulting from a blow that impacts over a relatively wide area of the bone. Generally caused
by compression and bending and results in the bone discontinuities & fracture lines. *Includes punching; typically results in
relatively CLEAN, SIMPLE FRACTURES, without significant crushing or comminution.
-Types of objects: pick axe handles, poles, bamboo sticks, axes, ox-cart handles, or shovels
, 2
ASM 275 EXAM 3 ASM 275 study guide
This includes some basic types of injury:
-blunt instruments (crowbars, baseball bats)
-car/train/plane crashes
-Abrasions of all kinds (Road rash)
-Bites & Falls
If object used in trauma is distinct in shape it can leave impressions; the larger
& heavier the object, the wider the area of damage.
, 3
ASM 275 EXAM 3 ASM 275 study guide
In considering trauma analysis wrt blunt force trauma, researchers should consider weapon characteristics:
SIZE (length/width), SHAPE (round/angular), WEIGHT.
Parry Fracture: specific fracture in which the middle to distal third of
the ulna is fractures -Perimortem parry indicate an attempt to defend
oneself during the attack that lead to death.
Colles fracture: affect the radius only and occur when trying to brace yourself during a fall to the ground
(common in kids).
Strangulation: type of blunt force trauma: hanging, using ligature or manually with bare hands. ID:
fractured Hyoid bone (horseshoe shaped bone in body critical for vocalization & speech)
Injury recidivism: repeated suffering of trauma at diff times in a person’s life. Domestic & child abuse
are 2 common areas where this is relevant to medico-legal.
Severity of Attack: flaking at the margins of the fractured bone? What an area received repeated
blows, the broken pieces abrase causing further damage to the edges of the fracture lines.
, 4
ASM 275 EXAM 3 ASM 275 study guide
Soft tissue wounds: three types caused by blunt force trauma
-Laceration: is a tear in the skin caused by a blunt object, which is different from a cut or incision. More
irregular in appearance and will also have string of flesh connecting both sides of the wound within the
wound itself, often accompanied by contusions around impact site.
-Contusion: a bruise or coagulation of blood under the skin due to the rupture of blood vessels from the
blunt trauma. Useful for estimating time since death since coloring of bruises changes over time, from
light blue to darker purple, to green, to yellow, to brown.
-Abrasion: superficial scraping or stretching of the skin beyond elastic capabilities.
Characteristic of Instruments:
SIZE: width of area between the contusions generally corresponds with width of weapon.
Long axis (length): can sometimes be estimated from dimensions of injury
Short axis (width): an object with a small width needs less force to cause injury than one that is broader.
SHAPE: we want to access the cross sectional and longitudinal dimensions of the weapon
Round: clubs, bats, glass bottles
Angular: crowbars, lumbar, etc. *More likely to leave distinct marks, distinct edges, fewer fracture lines
& most likely to leave imprint of shape on bone
WEIGHT: heavy instruments can cause catastrophic fractures resulting in large wounds with extensive
crushing and fragmentation. Force of impact is more important than the weight of the object used.
Effects of Blunt Instruments on:
The Skull Youthful elastic bone deforms inwardly at the point of impact. Outer table is under
compression and inner is under tension. Bone is more susceptible to tension; therefore,
the bone breaks from the inner surface out.
4 main buttresses of cranial vault (thicker areas/more stable): Mid-occipital, Posterior
ASM 275 EXAM 3 ASM 275 study guide
ASM 275: Forensic Anthropology Exam 3 Study Guide
TRAUMA: injury caused to the living tissue by an outside
force.
Projectile: bullets, arrows, spears
Blunt force: clubs, bats
Sharp force: knives, swords
Basic Bone Trauma
1. Displacements: bone surfaces no longer meet
2. Hinge: incomplete separation
3. Greenstick: incomplete separation; subadults
Perimortem trauma: injury happened near time of death;
could be used to link to medical records
Perimortem (LEGAL): around the time of death
Perimortem (Skeletal trauma): the period before which
signs of healing are evident; could mean at the time of
death-several weeks after death
Features: no sign of healing, 1. Sharp edges of fracture & lines 2. Hinging; not seen in
postmortem fractures, 3. Fracture lines 4. Angled broken edges (jagged/lightening shaped) 5.
Hematoma staining
Antemortem trauma: injury happened before death; could be used to reconstruct the cause and manner
of death
Postmortem trauma: there is no injury, the one breakage occurred after death; bone breakage does not
contribute to forensic analysis.
Features: 1. Does not have fracture lines
2. Greenstick & hinge fractures present
3. Breaks occur at right angles to bone
shaft
Phases of FRACTURE HEALING
1. Hematoma forms -blood pools over surface -internal scab to help stabilize break
2. Callus forming -woven bone deposited
3. Remodeling of woven bone into mature bone
BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA (Module 16; Lab 14)
Blunt force trauma: any injury resulting from a blow that impacts over a relatively wide area of the bone. Generally caused
by compression and bending and results in the bone discontinuities & fracture lines. *Includes punching; typically results in
relatively CLEAN, SIMPLE FRACTURES, without significant crushing or comminution.
-Types of objects: pick axe handles, poles, bamboo sticks, axes, ox-cart handles, or shovels
, 2
ASM 275 EXAM 3 ASM 275 study guide
This includes some basic types of injury:
-blunt instruments (crowbars, baseball bats)
-car/train/plane crashes
-Abrasions of all kinds (Road rash)
-Bites & Falls
If object used in trauma is distinct in shape it can leave impressions; the larger
& heavier the object, the wider the area of damage.
, 3
ASM 275 EXAM 3 ASM 275 study guide
In considering trauma analysis wrt blunt force trauma, researchers should consider weapon characteristics:
SIZE (length/width), SHAPE (round/angular), WEIGHT.
Parry Fracture: specific fracture in which the middle to distal third of
the ulna is fractures -Perimortem parry indicate an attempt to defend
oneself during the attack that lead to death.
Colles fracture: affect the radius only and occur when trying to brace yourself during a fall to the ground
(common in kids).
Strangulation: type of blunt force trauma: hanging, using ligature or manually with bare hands. ID:
fractured Hyoid bone (horseshoe shaped bone in body critical for vocalization & speech)
Injury recidivism: repeated suffering of trauma at diff times in a person’s life. Domestic & child abuse
are 2 common areas where this is relevant to medico-legal.
Severity of Attack: flaking at the margins of the fractured bone? What an area received repeated
blows, the broken pieces abrase causing further damage to the edges of the fracture lines.
, 4
ASM 275 EXAM 3 ASM 275 study guide
Soft tissue wounds: three types caused by blunt force trauma
-Laceration: is a tear in the skin caused by a blunt object, which is different from a cut or incision. More
irregular in appearance and will also have string of flesh connecting both sides of the wound within the
wound itself, often accompanied by contusions around impact site.
-Contusion: a bruise or coagulation of blood under the skin due to the rupture of blood vessels from the
blunt trauma. Useful for estimating time since death since coloring of bruises changes over time, from
light blue to darker purple, to green, to yellow, to brown.
-Abrasion: superficial scraping or stretching of the skin beyond elastic capabilities.
Characteristic of Instruments:
SIZE: width of area between the contusions generally corresponds with width of weapon.
Long axis (length): can sometimes be estimated from dimensions of injury
Short axis (width): an object with a small width needs less force to cause injury than one that is broader.
SHAPE: we want to access the cross sectional and longitudinal dimensions of the weapon
Round: clubs, bats, glass bottles
Angular: crowbars, lumbar, etc. *More likely to leave distinct marks, distinct edges, fewer fracture lines
& most likely to leave imprint of shape on bone
WEIGHT: heavy instruments can cause catastrophic fractures resulting in large wounds with extensive
crushing and fragmentation. Force of impact is more important than the weight of the object used.
Effects of Blunt Instruments on:
The Skull Youthful elastic bone deforms inwardly at the point of impact. Outer table is under
compression and inner is under tension. Bone is more susceptible to tension; therefore,
the bone breaks from the inner surface out.
4 main buttresses of cranial vault (thicker areas/more stable): Mid-occipital, Posterior
