The tibia and fibula are the bones of the leg, extending from the knee to the ankle.
Tibia
- The tibia is a long bone in the lower leg, located on the anteromedial side, adjacent to the fibula.
- It is the second largest bone in the human body, after the femur.
- It articulates with the knee joint proximally and the ankle joint distally.
- The tibia is in contact with the distal end of the femur, the fibula and the talus bone of the ankle.
- The tibia has an important weight-bearing role.
Proximal end of the tibia
- The proximal end of the tibia is wider than its distal end.
- The wide surface area of the proximal tibia has the medial and lateral condyles, which articulate with the condyles of the femur.
- Collectively, the condyles are referred to as the superior articulating surface, or the tibial plateau, as they are relatively flat.
- The condyles are separated by an intercondylar eminence, which consists of two intercondylar tubercles (the tubercles fit in the intercondylar fossa of the femur).
- The tubercles create two regions; the anterior and posterior intercondylar areas.
- The tubercles provide an attachment site to the menisci of the