Medical Disclaimer
The information on this page is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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Broken Shin Bone (Tibia Fracture)
Tibial shaft fractures are breaks in the main shin bone (tibia) between the knee and ankle - they commonly result from high-energy injuries like motor vehicle accidents or sports injuries, and cause severe pain, swelling, inability to walk, and visible deformity - open fractures (bone breaking through skin) occur in 20-30% of cases due to thin soft tissue covering the shin bone - treatment depends on fracture stability: minimally displaced fractures can be treated with casting (4-6 months healing), while displaced or unstable fractures require surgery with intramedullary nail (rod down center of bone) or plate fixation achieving 85-90% union.
đWhat is Broken Shin Bone (Tibia Fracture)?
Tibial shaft fractures are breaks in the main shin bone (tibia) between the knee and ankle - they commonly result from high-energy injuries like motor vehicle accidents or sports injuries, and cause severe pain, swelling, inability to walk, and visible deformity - open fractures (bone breaking through skin) occur in 20-30% of cases due to thin soft tissue covering the shin bone - treatment depends on fracture stability: minimally displaced fractures can be treated with casting (4-6 months healing), while displaced or unstable fractures require surgery with intramedullary nail (rod down center of bone) or plate fixation achieving 85-90% union.
đŦWhat Causes It?
- Motor vehicle accidents (high-energy trauma causing displaced, comminuted fractures)
- Sports injuries (skiing, football, soccer - twisting or direct blow to shin)
- Falls from height landing on legs
- Motorcycle accidents (high risk open fractures)
- Pedestrian struck by vehicle (direct impact to shin)
â ī¸Risk Factors
You may be at higher risk if:
- High-risk activities (motor vehicle occupant, motorcyclist, contact sports)
- Osteoporosis or low bone density (increases fracture risk from lower energy trauma)
- Previous tibial fractures (refracture risk if healed with deformity)
- Smoking (increases nonunion risk 3-4 times)
- Diabetes (impaired healing, higher infection risk)
đĄī¸Prevention
- âUse seatbelts and follow road safety (motor vehicle accidents major cause)
- âWear proper protective equipment during contact sports (shin guards)
- âMaintain bone health with adequate calcium/vitamin D and exercise
- âAddress osteoporosis if present (reduces fracture risk from lower energy trauma)
- âAvoid smoking (improves bone healing if fracture occurs)