Which of the following is a common cause of bruises or ecchymosis?

Bruises, also known as ecchymosis, occur when small blood vessels are damaged due to injury, allowing blood to seep into the surrounding tissues. This most commonly happens as a result of blunt force trauma, such as a bump, fall, or impact. When the skin or underlying tissues experience a sudden impact, the blood vessels can break, leading to discoloration and swelling typically seen with bruising.

While chemical burns, electrical shock, and friction burns can cause various injuries and skin damage, they are not associated with the typical mechanisms that produce bruising in the same way that blunt force trauma is. Therefore, understanding the etiology of bruises highlights the significance of identifying blunt force trauma as a common cause.