Stick Bones: Tibia

The tibiaShinbone; large, weight-bearing medial bone of the lower leg., like the ulnaMedial forearm bone (pinky side); forms the elbow hinge with humerus., is the larger of the bones associated with the lower limb bones.  The tibia is commonly known as your shin bone.  Never refer to this bone as the tibula or fibia.  Please.

Put your hand on one of your inside ankle bumps.  This is called the medial malleolusLarge inner ankle bump at distal tibia., which means “little hammer.”  The tibia is the medialToward the midline of the body bone of the lower leg and thus contains that medial malleolus.  The fibulaSlender lateral leg bone; stabilizes ankle but bears little weight. is commonly broken in contact sports. Remember this can help you identify the tibia as the medial bone. It can also show that the fibula is the lateralAway from the midline of the body. bone of the lower leg.  

The tibia always reminds me of those high set tables you see at a bistro. They look like the tables you find at a bar. Those tables that have one long pole and a flat top.  The plateau at the proximalCloser to the point of attachment or origin. end of the tibia allows for those two large condyles of the femurThigh bone; longest and strongest bone in the body; has a large round head and prominent trochanters to articulate.  On the anteriorThe front of the body or toward the front when standing in the anatomical position. face of the tibia is the tibia tuberosity.  This is the sharp point just below your knee.  Try to find your tibial tuberosityRough bump below kneecap on anterior surface for patellar ligament attachment..  A tuber is a root-like structure of a plant that grows underground, such as a potato.  The anatomical term tuberosity draws from the shape of a potato. Thus, a tuberosity is a rounded projection, although not as rounded as a headRounded proximal end that fits into the acetabulum of the hip bone. or a condyle.  The humerusLong bone of the upper arm; articulates with scapula at shoulder and radius/ulna at elbow. has tuberosities and it is helpful to review and compare them to the tibial tuberosity.

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