Tibia-fibula fractures are usually a result of a fall or hard blow to the leg that puts too much force on the bone. Common causes include:. An x-ray is the main diagnostic tool for a tibia-fibula fracture. After the doctor has corrected the position of the broken bones, an x-ray can also help confirm that the bones are in proper alignment.
Other imaging tests that can reveal damage to muscles, ligaments, or blood vessels around the bone include:. Treatment for a broken tibia-fibula will depend on the location, complexity, and severity of your child's fracture. A reduction is a non-operative procedure that is usually performed in the emergency department. During a reduction, the doctor realigns the broken bone so it will heal properly with the help of medications to relax the child.
Your child may need to use crutches or a wheelchair while their leg is healing. If your child has a broken tibia or broken tibia-fibula, they will need to wear a cast or boot for six to 12 weeks. Waterproof casts make it easier to bathe. However, broken limbs typically swell, therefore a waterproof cast is not used for the first several weeks after the initial fracture. If your child has a broken fibula, they will need to wear a short leg cast at first.
These flexible nails realign the bone and hold it in place while allowing the bone to grow and heal. Typically, a cast is also used after surgery to help the bone heal. If your child is an adolescent or young adult, the surgeon may use a rigid nail instead of a flexible nail.
Whether flexible or rigid, the nail can remain in place permanently or be removed. For a more severe fracture, a surgeon may insert metal plate and screw into the bone internal fixation or outside the body external fixation. These hold bone fragments in place and help keep bones aligned as they heal. Recovery from a tibia-fibula fracture typically takes about three to six months. Your child may be able to heal faster by resting and not putting too much weight on their leg until the bone has healed.
Thanks to our pediatric expertise, we can precisely diagnose conditions related to the growing musculoskeletal system and optimal care plans. Our Orthopedic Urgent Care Clinic treats patients with orthopedic injuries that require prompt medical attention but are not serious enough to need emergency room care. Many muscles of the thigh and lower leg attach to the fibula through tendons. One of the hamstrings, the biceps femoris muscle, has its insertion at the head of the fibula and pulls on the fibula to flex the leg at the knee.
Eight other muscles — including the three fibularis peroneus muscles, the soleus, and several flexors and extensors of the toes — have their origins on the fibula as well. An interesting fact about the fibula is that it can be harvested for tissue to graft onto other bones in the body. The fibula bears so little body weight that it typically has more bone mass than is needed to support the leg, making it a good tissue donor. The bony tissue harvested from the fibula is most commonly grafted onto the mandible to replace bone lost during oral cancer surgery.
Skin and blood vessels covering the fibula are grafted along with the osseous bone tissue to maintain blood supply to the bone and to close the wound in the face. High-energy fractures, such as those caused by serious car accidents or major falls, are more common in older children. Fractures of the tibia and fibula are typically diagnosed through physical examination and X-rays of the lower extremities. There are several ways to classify tibia and fibula fractures. Below are some of the most common tibia and fibula fractures that occur in children.
Sometimes they may also involve the fracture of the growth plate physis located at each end of the tibia. These fractures occur in the knee end of the tibia and are also called tibial plateau fractures.
Depending on the exact location, a proximal tibial fracture may affect the stability of the knee as well as the growth plate. Common proximal tibial fractures include:. This type of fracture takes place in the middle, or shaft diaphysis , of the tibia. There are three types of tibial shaft fractures:. These fractures occur at the ankle end of the tibia. They are also called tibial plafond fractures.
One of the common types in children is the distal tibial metaphyseal fracture. This is a fracture in the metaphysis, the part of tibia before it reaches its widest point. These fractures are usually transverse across or oblique slanted breaks in the bone.
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