tibia

The tibia, or shinbone, is the larger and medial bone of the lower leg in humans and many vertebrates. It extends from the knee to the ankle, bearing much of the body's weight and working with the fibula to form the leg's parallel bones. The tibia articulates with the femur at the knee via the proximal tibial plateau and with the talus at the ankle, creating the knee and ankle joints.

Anatomy: The proximal tibia has articular surfaces; the distal end features the medial malleolus, a bony projection that helps form the ankle joint. The tibial shaft (diaphysis) is triangular in cross-section and provides muscle attachments, including the tibial tuberosity. The tibia receives blood from the anterior and posterior tibial arteries; innervation is via branches of the sciatic nerve.

Clinical: Tibial fractures are common injuries from direct trauma or twisting forces; midshaft fractures may heal slowly due to limited muscle coverage. Treatment ranges from immobilization to surgical fixation such as intramedullary nailing. In children, the growth plate near the proximal and distal ends can be affected. Complications may include nonunion, malalignment, and infection.

In addition to the bone, Tibia is also the name of a 2D massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by CipSoft and released in 1997. The game offers an open world, character progression, PvE and PvP elements, and remains active with a legacy community and regular updates.