Chapter 13 - Analysis of skeletal trauma

Abstract

Skeletal trauma can be characterized by its timing in relation to the death event as well as the mechanism that caused the trauma. Bones are objects that obey physical laws and understanding bone’s response to force can help interpret how trauma may have occurred. The primary forces that cause skeletal fractures are compression, tension, bending, shear, and torsion. Antemortem trauma is an alteration that occurred prior to the death event, perimortem trauma is an alteration that occurred when the bone was in a biomechanically fresh state, and postmortem damage refers to alterations to the bone after death and which are unassociated with the death event. Blunt trauma is caused by the application of relatively low speed force over a relatively large surface area; sharp trauma is caused by the application of force by a tool with a pointed or beveled edge, typically a knife or saw; high-velocity projectile trauma is caused by the application of high-speed force over a small surface area; and thermal trauma is caused by exposure of the bone to fire or heat. The results of forensic anthropological assessments of trauma may help the medicolegal authority in determining the cause and manner of death.