anatomy/tibia-and-fibula·Bone
Tibia and fibula
Tibia et Fibula
The two lower leg bones. The tibia carries almost all the weight; the thin fibula mainly serves as an anchor for muscles.
// Structure & location
The tibia (shin bone) lies on the inside; its front edge can be felt directly under the skin. At the top it forms the knee with the femur, at the bottom the inner ankle. The fibula lies on the outside, is thin and forms the outer ankle. Together the two ankle bones grip the talus like a fork. According to OpenStax, this ankle joint is a hinge that lets the foot lift and point.
// Function
The tibia transmits body weight from the knee to the foot. The fibula carries little load but anchors many lower leg muscles and stabilises the ankle at the side.
// For training & sport
- Exercise-related pain along the shin is common in runners, especially when volume is increased quickly.
- Increasing running volume gradually gives bones and tendons time to adapt.
// Good to know
In a typical rolled ankle (foot turning inward), it is mainly the ligaments at the outer ankle that get sprained or torn.
// Sources
- LehrbuchOpenStax – Anatomy and Physiology, 8.4 Bones of the Lower Limb ↗
- LehrbuchOpenStax – Anatomy and Physiology 2e, 9.6 Anatomy of Selected Synovial Joints ↗
last reviewed: 2026-11-14