Tibia

Function

The shinbone — second only to the femur in strength and the true weight-bearer of the leg. Its plateau receives the femoral condyles, its shaft lies bare under the skin (the classic site of a 'bumped' shin), and its medial malleolus brackets the ankle.

Landmarks

• Medial and lateral condyles
• Intercondylar eminence
• Tibial tuberosity
• Gerdy's tubercle
• Soleal line
• Interosseous border
• Medial malleolus

Articulations (joints)

• Femur and patella (knee)
• Fibula (tibiofibular joints)
• Talus (ankle)

Clinical relevance

Tibial shaft fractures are the commonest long-bone injury and notoriously slow to heal; open fractures are frequent because the bone is subcutaneous. Bone–patellar tendon–bone ACL grafts are harvested from the patella and tibial tuberosity.