Which of the following is an example of a mechanism of injury?

• A. An Explosion
• B. A Routine Check
• C. A Minor Scratch
• D. A Cough Reflex

Answer: (A)

Mechanism of injury is the event or circumstance that causes injury, not the injury itself. Recognizing this helps you anticipate what injuries might be present and guides scene safety and patient assessment. An explosion fits as a mechanism of injury because it is the incident that can produce multiple injury patterns—blast waves, flying debris, burns, and blunt or penetrating trauma—depending on proximity and debris. The other options describe either an action unrelated to causing injury (a routine check), an injury itself (a minor scratch), or a protective bodily response (a cough reflex), none of which explain how harm occurred.