Tibia

Description

• General
  • Major weight bearing bone of the lower leg
• Proximal
  • Tibial plateau forms articular surface for the Knee Joint
  • Tibial tuberosity is described below
• Distal
  • Tibial plafond forms articular surface for the Ankle Joint
  • Medial malleolus contributes to medial stability
• Interosseus Membrane
  • Acts as a fibrous anchor between the tibia and Fibula
  • Runs along the length of both bones (lateral side of tibia)

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Tibial Tubercle

• Attachment site for Patellar Tendon
  • Final component of Knee Extensor Mechanism
• Developmental Anatomy
  • Cartilage stage: occurs before a secondary ossification center appears at the tubercle
  • Apophyseal stage: secondary ossification center appears in girls (8-12), boys (9-14)
  • Epiphyseal stage: secondary ossification centers (proximal tibia, tubercle) merge into a bony tubercle adjacent to proximal tibial epiphysis
    • Continues to expand proximally until it blends with tibial epiphysis around age 17

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Actions

• Biomechanical
  • Supports knee
  • Supports knee flexion/extension at the tibial tubercle
  • Supports ankle
• Myofascial attachments
  • Compartments: Anterior Compartment, Lateral Compartment, Superficial Posterior Compartment, Deep Posterior Compartment

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Vascular Supply

• Popliteal Artery
  • Posterior Tiblal Artery
  • Anterior Tibial Artery becomes the Dorsalis Pedis Artery
• Nutrient Artery

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Clinical Significance

Knee

• All
  • Patellar Tendonitis
  • Patellar Tendon Rupture
  • Tibial Plateau Fracture
• Pediatric
  • Tibial Tubercle Avulsion Fracture
  • Osgood Schlatter Disease
  • Patellar Apophysitis (Sinding-Larsen-Johnansson Disease)
  • Patellar Pole Avulsion Fracture

Leg

• Adult
  • Tibial Shaft Fracture
  • Tibial Stress Fracture
• Pediatric
  • Toddlers Fracture

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See Also

• Knee Pain (Main)
• Leg Pain (Main)
• Ankle Pain (Main)

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