Table 1. Overview of common orthopaedic fracture fixation plates and their functions.

Adapted from the Orthopaedic Trauma Association [45]

Plate	Function
Compression	Compression offers rigid fixation and absolute stability, making it particularly effective for transverse fractures where placing a lag screw is not feasible. It can be used either on its own or alongside lag screws: Alone: for transverse or short oblique fractures where lag screw placement is challenging. In combination: the plate is used to apply compression before placing the lag screws.
Neutralisation	Prevents lag screws from being subjected to shear, bending, or rotational forces at the fracture site. It can be used in combination with lag screws, whereby the lag screws provide compression, while the neutralisation plate helps preserve bony alignment and prevents the screws from failing by stabilising the fracture site against the forces acting on the bone.
Buttress	Counteracts vertical shear forces during axial loading and prevents sliding/shortening of fracture fragments under axial pressure. Plates can be used with or without lag screws to provide buttress.
Tension Band	Converts tensile (pulling) forces into compressive forces at a fracture site. It is particularly useful in fractures involving tension or avulsion, where the forces pulling apart the bone need to be counteracted, such as the patella and olecranon.
Bridging	Ideal for complex, comminuted fractures in the metaphysis or diaphysis, or when direct access to the fracture is challenging because of the soft tissues around it. The aim is to preserve fracture biology by avoiding direct disruption of the fracture zone and to achieve indirect reduction and relative stability, rather than achieving anatomic alignment and absolute stability.
Locking	A locking plate has threaded holes that allow the screws to "lock" into the plate itself, thus providing axial and angular stability. It is particularly useful in patients with compromised bone quality such as osteoporotic or weak bones. This is because the load is distributed across the entire construct.