Dinosaurs Inside and Out

Abnormal Dinosaur Bones

What caused traumatic and repetitive stress fractures in dinosaur bones?

Another feature that has been seen in some dinosaur bones, such as Tyrannosaurus and Iguanodon, are healed traumatic fractures. Such fractures may have occurred during struggles with other dinosaurs or even mating activity.

Another type of fracture, called a stress fracture, apparently occurred in dinosaurs as a result of repetitive stresses to the bone. Stress fractures found in ceratopsians, such as the Triceratops, have often been blamed on foot stamping, sudden accelerations in response to predators, or even fractures brought about during long migrations.

