{"id":4445,"date":"2021-02-09T20:00:20","date_gmt":"2021-02-09T19:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/pre-clinical\/anatomy\/lower-limb\/leg\/neurovasculature-of-the-leg-2\/"},"modified":"2021-02-09T20:01:29","modified_gmt":"2021-02-09T19:01:29","slug":"tibia-and-fibula","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/pre-clinical\/anatomy\/lower-limb\/leg\/tibia-and-fibula\/","title":{"rendered":"Tibia and fibula"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><div class=\"intro\">The tibia and fibula are the bones of the leg, extending from the knee to the ankle.<\/div><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\"\/>\n\n\n<span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_1\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title1\">Tibia<\/h3>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_1\">\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The tibia is a long bone in the lower leg, located on the anteromedial side, adjacent to the fibula.&nbsp;<\/li><li>It is the second largest bone in the human body, after the femur.<\/li><li>It articulates with the knee joint proximally and the ankle joint distally.&nbsp;<\/li><li>The tibia is in contact with the distal end of the femur, the fibula and the talus bone of the ankle.&nbsp;<\/li><li>The tibia has an important weight-bearing role.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<\/span><span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_2\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title2\">Proximal end of the tibia<\/h4>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_2\">\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The proximal end of the tibia is wider than its distal end.&nbsp;<\/li><li>The wide surface area of the proximal tibia has the <strong>medial <\/strong>and <strong>lateral condyles<\/strong>, which articulate with the condyles of the femur.&nbsp;<ul><li>Collectively, the condyles are referred to as the <strong>superior articulating surface<\/strong>, or the <strong>tibial plateau<\/strong>, as they are relatively flat.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><li>The condyles are separated by an <strong>intercondylar eminence<\/strong>, which consists of two <strong>intercondylar tubercles<\/strong> (the tubercles fit in the intercondylar fossa of the femur).<ul><li>The tubercles create two regions; the <strong>anterior <\/strong>and <strong>posterior intercondylar areas<\/strong>.<\/li><li>The tubercles provide an attachment site to the menisci of the knee.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul><\/li><li>Anteriorly at the proximal tibial surface is the <strong>tibial tuberosity<\/strong>, which provides attachment site to the patellar ligament.&nbsp;<ul><li>The tuberosity is easily palpable just below the knee.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<\/span><span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_3\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title2\">Shaft&nbsp;<\/h4>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_3\">\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The tibial shaft is thin and it runs vertically within the lower leg.&nbsp;<\/li><li>The shaft is triangular in cross-section, and it has three surfaces:<ul><li>Medial surface<\/li><li>Lateral surface (or interosseous surface, termed due to its extensive attachment to the interosseous membrane)<\/li><li>Posterior surface<\/li><\/ul><\/li><li>The medial surface of the shaft is the most prominent and can be easily palpated along the anterior aspect of the lower leg, as it is in the subcutaneous layer.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Inferiorly on the lateral, or interosseous surface, there is the <strong>fibular notch<\/strong>, which provides fibrous attachment to the distal fibula.<\/li><li>The posterior surface features the <strong>soleal line<\/strong>, which is a visible oblique line which acts as the insertion and origin site of several of the lower leg muscles.&nbsp;<\/li><li>The shaft is thinnest at the middle and expands as it reaches both the proximal and distal end.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<\/span><span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_4\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title2\">Distal end of the tibia<\/h4>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_4\">\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The distal end of the tibia is more narrow then the proximal end, yet, wider than the shaft.&nbsp;<\/li><li>The distal surface of the tibia is typically rectangular in shape.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Medially on the distal surface of the tibia is the <strong>medial malleolus<\/strong>, which is a bony protuberance that articulates with the talus bone to form the ankle joint.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the posterior aspect of the distal tibia, there is a <strong>vertical groove<\/strong>, in which the tibialis posterior tendon lies.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/span><span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_5\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title1\">Fibula<\/h3>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_5\">\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The fibula is a long, slender bone located posterolaterally to the tibia within the lower leg.&nbsp;<\/li><li>It has little contribution to bearing weight.&nbsp;<\/li><li>The fibula is an attachment site of 8 lower leg muscles.<\/li><li>The fibula plays an indirect role at the knee joint, but a key role in forming the lateral border of the ankle joint.&nbsp;<\/li><li>It articulates with the tibia through the superior and inferior tibiofibular joints, and with the talus inferiorly.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<\/span><span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_6\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title2\">Proximal end of the fibula<\/h4>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_6\">\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The proximal end of the fibula has an irregular shaped <strong>head<\/strong>, which consists of a pointed bony process called the <strong>apex<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/li><li>The head of the fibula also features a facet that articulates with the lateral tibial condyle.<\/li><li>Slightly inferior to the fibular head, there is a narrowed region called the <strong>neck<\/strong>.&nbsp;<ul><li>The common fibular nerve often runs posterolaterally to the short fibular neck.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<\/span><span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_7\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title2\">Shaft<\/h4>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_7\">\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The fibular shaft is more narrow than the shaft of the tibia.<\/li><li>The shaft is the main site of muscular attachment.<\/li><li>Similarly to the tibial shaft, the shaft of the fibula is triangular in cross-section, with three borders:<ul><li>Anteromedial surface<\/li><li>Lateral, or interosseous, surface<\/li><li>Posterior surface<\/li><\/ul><\/li><li>The posterior surface of the fibular shaft is marked with a vertical crest called the <strong>medial crest<\/strong>.<ul><li>The medial crest divides the posterior shaft into two separate parts, each attaches to a different group of deep leg flexor muscles.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<\/span><span class=\"block-heading\" id=\"header_8\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"title_collection title2\">Distal end of the fibula<\/h4>\n<\/span><span class=\"block-content\" id=\"contents_8\">\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The distal end of the fibula expands laterally and inferiorly, forming the <strong>lateral malleolus<\/strong>.<\/li><li>The prominent lateral malleolus can be easily palpable at the inferior lateral aspect of the lower leg.<\/li><li>The medial surface of the lateral malleolus features a facet that articulates with the lateral surface of the talus bone.&nbsp;<ul><li>This articulation forms the lateral aspect of the ankle joint.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Posterior to the articulating facet is the <strong>malleolar fossa<\/strong>, which provides attachment to the posterior talofibular ligament.<\/li><\/ul><\/li><li>The posterior aspect of the lateral malleolus has a groove in which the tendons of fibularis longus and brevis run.<\/li><li>The distal end of the fibula is the attachment site of several ligaments.<\/li><\/ul>\n<\/span><div id=\"the_titles\" style=\"display:none;\"><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tibia<\/h3><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Proximal end of the tibia<\/h4><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Shaft&nbsp;<\/h4><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Distal end of the tibia<\/h4><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fibula<\/h3><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Proximal end of the fibula<\/h4><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Shaft<\/h4><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Distal end of the fibula<\/h4><\/div><\/p>\n<div id=\"the_titles\" style=\"display:none;\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":3965,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4445","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Tibia and fibula &#8211; Meddists<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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