The fibula is the long, thin and lateral bone of the lower leg. It runs parallel to the tibia, or shin bone, and plays a significant role in stabilizing the ankle and supporting the muscles of the lower leg. Compared to the tibia, the fibula is about the same length, but is considerably thinner.
Accordingly, can you still walk with a broken fibula?
The fibula bears approximately one-sixth of the body's load. Because the fibula is not a weight-bearing bone, your doctor might allow you walk as the injury recovers. You also might be advised to use crutches, avoiding weight on the leg, until the bone heals because of the fibula's role in ankle stability.
Additionally, can you feel your fibula? It's covered by muscle and tissue, so it can't be felt as easily as the tibia. Like the tibia, the fibula is involved in the ankle joint and connects to the other bones of the ankle via ligaments. The bony bump you feel on the outside of your ankle, called the lateral malleolus, is the lower end of the fibula.
In this way, can you live without a fibula?
The fibular bone runs on the outside of the leg from the knee joint to the ankle joint. It is a small thin bone that can be entirely removed without affecting your ability to bear weight.
How long does a broken fibula hurt?
Patients who suffer from a fractured fibula tend to make a full recovery provided they follow their doctor's instructions. The severity of the injury will dictate the length of time to reach recovery. With minor fractures, return to most activities and even sports can take place in as little as 6 weeks.
Does a broken fibula need a cast?
A splint or cast that prevents movement is usually all that is needed unless there are other parts of the leg that are also injured. If you do require additional treatment to realign your bones, your doctor may recommend: closed reduction: Your doctor realigns ends of a broken bone without cutting into your skin.
Is a broken fibula serious?
Most fractures of the fibula do not have any serious complications. Within a few weeks to several months, most patients make a full recovery and can continue their normal activities.
Why does my fibula hurt when I walk?
Shin pain generally occurs from overuse. This problem can come from irritation of the muscles or other tissues in the lower leg or from a stress fracture. Some specific conditions that cause shin pain include: Stress fracture: This is a hairline crack in one of the lower leg bones, the tibia or fibula.
Can a broken fibula heal in 4 weeks?
This phase takes 100 days. Furthermore, an average time for bone healing is 8 to 10 weeks, and complete healing time is 12 to 16 weeks, following the natural healing time as explained above. For example, the fracture can occur at the knee joint, above the ankle, in the shaft of the fibula bone and at the ankle joint.
How long does it take to walk after a broken tibia and fibula?
In general, recovery for a tibia/fibula fracture takes about three to six months while stress fractures usually take six to eight weeks. The healing time can be quicker by taking the right steps.
What happens if you break your tibia and fibula?
The ends of the tibia and the fibula both form part of the ankle joint. Different kinds of injury can damage the tibia or the fibula, causing them to break into one or more pieces. If you fracture your tibia or fibula, you might need ORIF to bring your bones back into place and help them heal.
What does it feel like to break your fibula?
Pain, swelling, and tenderness are some of the most common signs and symptoms of a fractured fibula. Other signs and symptoms include: Inability to bear weight on the injured leg. Bleeding and bruising in the leg.
How do you sleep with a broken fibula?
Invest in a specialized pillow, like a body pillow, for elevation—keeping the broken bone above your heart prevents blood from pooling and causing swelling. Try sleeping on your back first while propped up on a few pillows. If that doesn't work, slowly adjust yourself to a side position if possible.
What bone is fibula?
The fibula or calf bone is a leg bone on the lateral side of the tibia, to which it is connected above and below. It is the smaller of the two bones and, in proportion to its length, the slenderest of all the long bones.
Is fibular Hemimelia hereditary?
In many cases, the cause of fibular hemimelia is unknown. Studies have shown that the condition can be related to genetic abnormalities. However, these seem to occur randomly and are not passed down from parents to children.
Is fibular Hemimelia genetic?
Fibular hemimelia, the shortening or absence of the fibula, one of the two lower leg bones along with the tibia, is a non-genetic condition (when it does not occur with birth defects in other limbs) that leads to limb length differences, foot deformities, and knee ligament problems, among others.
Which of the following is a sign or symptom of a broken tibia?
Generally, a tibia/fibula fracture is associated with: pain or swelling in the lower leg area. an obvious deformity or uneven leg lengths. inability to stand or walk (more likely with tibia; less likely if only the fibula is broken)
What is fibula Hemimelia?
Fibular hemimelia or longitudinal fibular deficiency is "the congenital absence of the fibula and it is the most common congenital absence of long bone of the extremities." It is the shortening of the fibula at birth, or the complete lack thereof.
Are we born without kneecaps?
Babies are born without kneecaps. However, they have a cartilaginous structure in their knees. This cartilage turns into bone by the age of four.
Is the tibia smaller than the fibula?
Tibia. The fibula is smaller and thinner than the tibia. These two bones connect the ankle to the knee and work together to stabilize the ankle and provide support to the muscles of the lower leg; however, the tibia carries a significant portion of the body weight.
Can you be born with one leg?
Children who have fibular hemimelia are born with a short or missing fibula (one of the two bones in the lower leg). Other bones in the leg, ankle, and foot can be affected too. Most children with fibular hemimelia (FIB-yoo-luhr heh-me-MEEL-yuh) have it in one leg, but some have it in both.
Can the fibula be removed?
A fibular free flap is surgery that removes the fibula and uses it to reconstruct bone in the upper or lower jaw that has been damaged or removed due to cancer. Removing this bone from your leg does not change your ability to walk or carry weight.
