The tibia, commonly known as the shin bone, is a large, weight-bearing bone found in the lower leg. According to Lewis et al (2015), the tibia is one of the most common sites for stress fractures (p.1528). “Although the tibia is vulnerable to injury because it lacks a covering of anterior muscle, strong force is required to produce a fractured tibia” (Lewis et al, 2015 p.1528). Possible complications with a tibial fracture are compartment syndrome, fat embolisms and in the case of compound fractures, infection. Due to the necessity of structural support the tibia provides, surgery is a common way to stabilize a fracture. Without surgery, many tibial fractures may not heal properly causing a lifetime of pain and difficulty with ambulation.
