US Medical Term · anatomy
Tibia
Tibia
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Tibia |
| Spanish (Español) | Tibia |
| Chinese (中文) | 脛骨 |
| Korean (한국어) | 경골 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Xương chày |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Tibia (buto ng binti) |
| Portuguese (Português) | Tíbia |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | กระดูกแข้ง |
| Japanese (日本語) | 脛骨 |
What it means
The tibia is your shinbone — the larger of the two bones in your lower leg. It runs from your knee down to your ankle. You can feel it as the hard ridge along the front of your lower leg. The tibia bears most of your body weight and is a key part of both the knee and ankle joints. It connects to the femur above and the fibula beside it. Tibia fractures are common sports and accident injuries. A break in the tibia may cause severe pain, swelling, and difficulty walking. Treatment can range from a cast to surgery with rods or plates.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
The doctor told me I broke my tibia, the shinbone in my lower leg.
El médico me dijo que me rompí la tibia, el hueso de la espinilla en la parte baja de la pierna.
I have sharp pain along the front of my lower leg where the tibia is.
Tengo un dolor agudo en la parte delantera de la pierna baja donde está la tibia.
Will I need surgery for my tibia fracture, or will a cast be enough?
¿Necesitaré cirugía por la fractura de tibia, o bastará con un yeso?
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026