The shinbone or tibia is the long bone situated in the lower leg between the knee and foot. Tibial fractures are very common and typically caused by an injury or repetitive strain on the bone. A fracture is also termed a break. The main symptom of a minor fracture is intense pain in the shin region while walking and in severe cases, the tibia bone may bulge out through skin. The healing and recovery period for tibial fractures may vary and depends on the type and severity of the fracture. Your healthcare provider will do a complete physical assessment and get some imaging tests to confirm the diagnosis and provide treatment as per the needs.
Tibia Fracture

What Is A Tibia Fracture?

A tibia fractures mean any crack or break in the tibia bone, which is the longest bone in the body to fracture. The tibia is one of the two bones that make up the lower leg, and another one is the fibula.

The tibia bone holds a vital role in body process, as it is:

  • The largest of the two lower leg bones
  • Provide support for most of the body weight
  • Essential for proper knee and ankle joint mechanics

A fractured tibia often develops with other kinds of tissue damage to the adjacent muscles or ligaments. Hence it should be always evaluated by a medical professional.

Also Read: 5 Effective Ways To Build Healthy Bones - Infographic

Symptoms

Generally, symptoms will vary depending on how severe the fracture is, and it may include:

  • Severe pain in the lower leg
  • Difficulty walking, running
  • Numbness in the foot
  • Unable to bear weight on the injured leg
  • Abnormality in the lower leg, knee, and shin region
  • Bone swelling through a skin break
  • Restricted bending motion in and around the knee
  • Swelling
  • Bruising and blueness on the injured leg

When the tibia is fractured, the other bone in the lower leg, the fibula, is also damaged.

What Causes A Tibia Fracture?

The most common causes of tibia fractures are:

  • High-energy collisions involving motorcycle or automobile crashes which can result in the most serious fractures
  • Falls, mainly from high altitudes and those involving hard surfaces
  • Twisting motions involving sports like snowboarding, skiing, and contact sports are common causes of this type of break
  • Some of the health conditions that may also affect your tibia fracture include type 2 diabetes and osteoarthritis

Also Read: Bone Density Test: Procedure, Risks, Results

Diagnosis

If your physician suspects that you have a tibia fracture then you’re referred to an orthopaedist, who is a specialist treating abnormalities and damages in the bones. Your healthcare provider will first evaluate your symptoms and the incident that have caused the fracture. And also review your past medical history to see if you are at risk for a tibia fracture or any previous injury. Your healthcare provider will also do a physical assessment to look for any:

  • Bruises with blueness and swelling
  • Instability while walking
  • Tenderness
  • Abnormal bend or shortening of the leg
  • Injury to fibula

Your orthopaedist will perform a series of tests to measure the muscle strength and assess if you can feel sensation in the lower leg, foot and ankle. Also, recommend the following tests to get a visual image of the fracture:

  • X-rays
  • CT scan
  • Bone scan
  • MRI scan

Depending on the severity of the injury, you may need immediate surgery. Conditions demanding surgery include the bone penetrating the skin, multiple broken bones, or injury to a major artery or nerve.

Treatment

Your healthcare provider will consider several factors when treating a tibia fracture including:

  • The severity of the injury, and how bad the damage to soft tissues
  • Overall health and medical history
  • Any other fractures

Nonsurgical Treatment Includes:

  • Casts
  • Functional braces, that allow some movement of the leg
  • Pain medications or anti-inflammatories
  • Physical therapy
  • Home exercises
  • Splints

In a few cases, your doctor may recommend surgery. Surgery is done if you have an open fracture or poor stability in the bone or limb function. Also, if the non-surgical treatment option doesn’t respond then surgery is needed. The following surgical procedures are mostly done to treat tibia fractures:

Internal fixation is where screws, rods, or plates are used to hold the tibia together.

External fixation links screws or pins in the fracture to a metal bar outside the leg for extra support and stability.

Surgical treatments are often accompanied by physical therapy, at-home exercises, and pain medication to better the outcomes.

Recovery

Your recovery time depends on the severity and type of fracture. Some types of fracture will heal well within a few months, but with more severe cases it may require at least six months to heal. Moreover, overall health and the extent of damage will impact your recovery period.