Tibia

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The tibia or shinbone is the larger of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates.

In humans

The tibia is found medial and anterior to the fibula. It is the second-longest bone in the human body, the largest being the femur. The tibia articulates with the femur and patella superiorly, the fibula laterally and with the ankle inferiorly.

Gender differences

In the male, its direction is vertical, and parallel with the bone of the opposite side. In the female, it has a slightly oblique direction downward and lateralward, to compensate for the greater obliquity of the femur.

Structure

It is prismoid in form, expanded above, where it enters into the knee-joint, contracted in the lower third, and again enlarged but to a lesser extent below.

The tibia is connected to the fibula by an interosseous membrane, forming a type of joint called a syndesmoses.

Blood supply

The tibia derives its arterial blood supply from two sources:

1. the nutrient artery (main source)
2. periosteal vessels derived from the anterior tibial artery

Additional images

See also

• Articulations between the tibia and fibula
• Bone terminology
• Terms for anatomical location
• Ossification of tibia
• Upper extremity of tibia
• Body of tibia
• Lower extremity of tibia
• Shin Splints

External links

• Tibial fractures

References

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Last updated on Tuesday March 11, 2008 at 13:53:15 PDT (GMT -0700)
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