Fracture of tibia
What is it?
The tibia is the large bone at the front of your lower leg, often called the shin bone. A fracture is a broken bone. This may be a crack or buckle in the bone or a complete break.
Symptoms
The most obvious symptom of a fractured tibia is pain, especially when you try to move your leg. Or you may not be able to move your leg at all.
You may also:
- have swelling and bruising
- pain
- be unable to bear weight on your leg
- notice that the bone sticks out or bends
The skin and tissue covering the bone may be torn. This is called an open fracture.
Causes
A fall or a blow to your leg is the most common cause of a fractured tibia. Very rarely, a twisting injury can cause a fractured tibia.
Your tibia can also fracture as a result of exposure to repeated small stresses and strains. This is known as a stress or fatigue fracture. It most often happens to long distance runners.
Treatment
If you suspect you have a fractured tibia, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible.
If there is a break in the bone and it is not aligned (a displaced fracture), your tibia may need to be re-aligned. This will be done at a hospital under an anaesthetic or using pain relief. The broken bone will then be kept in place either using a cast or a splint.
For some fractures an operation may be needed. Surgery involves using surgical steel screws, wires, rods, pins or plates to hold the broken pieces of bone together. If you have an open fracture you will need surgery to close the wound.
If you have a stress fracture you will need to rest and stop the activity that has caused the fracture.
Do
- Rest your leg and limit your movement as much as possible. This helps minimise pain and can also prevent further injuries caused by movement of the sharp ends of broken bone.
- Try to keep all the joints in your leg that aren't in plaster moving.
Don't
- Attempt to exercise your leg until the fracture has completely healed and the cast or splint has been removed. When you do start exercising, pay attention to how your leg is feeling and don't do anything too strenuous.
Peer reviewed by Peter Pope, MCSP, Bupa Sports Medicine physiotherapist
Publication date: June 2009
