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...

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Full Tibia Description

[Continued from above] . . . 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 that 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.