Fibula in Spanish

Where is the fibula?

MedlinePlus describes the lower leg as comprised of two bones, the tibia and the smaller fibula. Above them, the thigh bone, or femur, is the large upper leg bone that connects the lower leg bones (knee joint) to the pelvic bone (hip joint).

Fibular and peroneal

Two adjectives appear in MedlinePlus for a nerve that supplies the lower leg: peroneal and fibular. It says common peroneal nerve dysfunction is also called common fibular nerve dysfunction, and it lists fibular neuropathy and peroneal nerve palsy among the alternative names. The common peroneal nerve is a branch of the sciatic nerve that supplies movement and sensation to the lower leg, foot and toes. MedlinePlus lists fracture of the fibula among the common causes of damage to this nerve.

What it means

The fibula is the smaller of the two bones of the lower leg; the other is the tibia. MedlinePlus states that the lower leg is comprised of these two bones, and that the thigh bone, or femur, is the large upper leg bone that connects the lower leg bones, at the knee joint, to the pelvic bone at the hip joint. The word also shows up in the name of a nerve condition: MedlinePlus says common peroneal nerve dysfunction is also called common fibular nerve dysfunction, and it lists a fracture of the fibula, which it describes as a bone of the lower leg, among the common causes of damage to that nerve, along with trauma or injury to the knee. In Spanish the bone is called peroné.

Fibula in Spanish

Spanish term: Peroné
Gender and article: masculine: el peroné
Pronunciation: peh-roh-NEH

Peroné is the word MedlinePlus en español uses: it says the lower part of the leg consists of two bones, la tibia y el peroné, and that the peroné is the smaller one. The Spanish dictionary defines peroné as a long, thin bone of the leg, located behind the tibia, with which it articulates, and marks it as a masculine noun: el peroné. The same dictionary entry gives fíbula as a synonym of peroné.

For the common peroneal nerve, MedlinePlus en español uses both adjectives: nervio peroneo común is the name in its article title, and it adds that the condition is also called disfunción del nervio fibular común; neuropatía fibular is among the alternative names. A break is fractura del peroné, which the same page glosses as a bone of the lower part of the leg. In the anatomy illustration page, the thigh bone is el fémur, the lower leg is la parte inferior de la pierna, the knee joint is la rodilla and the hip joint is la cadera.

Phrases for an appointment

What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:

Who	English	Spanish
Clinician	The X-ray shows a fracture of the fibula, one of the two bones of your lower leg.	La radiografía muestra una fractura del peroné, uno de los dos huesos de la parte inferior de la pierna.
Patient	Is that the same bone as the tibia?	¿Es el mismo hueso que la tibia?
Clinician	No, the tibia is the other bone of the lower leg. The fibula is the smaller one.	No, la tibia es el otro hueso de la parte inferior de la pierna. El peroné es el más pequeño.
Patient	I twisted my ankle playing soccer, and I can't put weight on that leg.	Me torcí el tobillo jugando fútbol y no puedo apoyar esa pierna.
Clinician	Do you feel numbness or tingling in your foot or toes?	¿Siente entumecimiento u hormigueo en el pie o en los dedos del pie?
Patient	How long will I need to wear the cast?	¿Cuánto tiempo tendré que usar el yeso?
Clinician	I am going to give you a referral to orthopedics to follow the fracture.	Voy a darle una remisión para ortopedia, para que den seguimiento a la fractura.
Patient	The report says "fracture of the fibula." Does that mean the bone is broken?	El informe dice «fractura del peroné». ¿Eso quiere decir que el hueso está roto?

In 9 languages

Language	Term
English	Fibula
Spanish (Español)	Peroné
Chinese (中文)	腓骨
Korean (한국어)	비골
Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)	Xương mác
Filipino (Tagalog)	Fibula (maliit na buto ng binti)
Portuguese (Português)	Fíbula
Thai (ภาษาไทย)	กระดูกน่อง
Japanese (日本語)	腓骨

Where you'll see it

radiology reportdischarge summaryoperative reportchart

Related terms

Your right to an interpreter in the United States

If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.

You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»

More terms: Bones, joints and muscles

All terms in this area: Bones, joints and muscles — Huesos, articulaciones y músculos

Sources

This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.