Tibia
The tibia is the inner and thicker of the two long bones in the lower
leg. It is also called the shin bone. Its upper end is expanded into
"medial" and "lateral condyles," which have concave surfaces and unite
with the condyles of the femur. The tibia is the supporting bone of the
lower leg and runs parallel to the other, smaller bone (the fibula) to
which it is attached by ligaments. The front of the tibia, or tibial tuberosity,
lies just below the skin and can easily be felt. The tibial tuberosity is
a region
on
the bone
where muscles and tendons attach (or an "apophysis"). The upper
end joins the femur to form the knee joint, and the lower end forms part of
the ankle joint. On the inside
of the ankle, the tibia widens and sticks out to form a large bony
prominence called the "medial malleolus." On the outside of the ankle is a
protrusion called the "lateral malleolus," which is sometimes called the
ankle bone, and is the most common area for ankle sprains.
The lateral meniscus of the knee is a thick, crescent-shaped piece of cartilage
which acts as padding. It lies between the joint where the femur and tibia
articulate (come in contact with each other) on the outside of the knee.
Likewise, the medial meniscus lies in the joint on the inside of the knee.
The menisci are vital to absorbing shock from the knees, as well as providing
lubrication and stabilization. Therefore, every attempt is made to repair
(and more recently even to replace) worn or injured menisci.
