Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX USA) Practice

Vertical strain in cranial mechanics is associated with which type of trauma?

1. Compression trauma

2. Shearing trauma

3. Uppercut

4. Pulling trauma

The correct answer is: Uppercut

Vertical strain in cranial mechanics relates to forces acting in a vertical direction affecting the cranial bones. This type of strain is often associated with traumas that produce a lifting or forceful upward motion, analogous to the upward thrust seen in an uppercut. In cranial osteopathy principles, when the head is subjected to this kind of force, it can lead to changes in the positioning of the cranial bones, consequently affecting cranial mechanics. Other types of trauma may not create the necessary mechanism for vertical strain in the same manner. Compression trauma typically involves forces that squeeze cranial structures together, shearing trauma involves lateral or sideways forces causing displacement, and pulling trauma implies a downward force which could lead to other types of strain but not specifically to vertical strain. Therefore, the uppercut is most directly associated with the mechanism that would lead to vertical strain in cranial mechanics.