Fibula Health Dictionary

The joint between the leg bones (TIBIA and FIBULA) above, and the TALUS (the Roman dice-bone) below. It is a very strong joint with powerful ligaments binding the bones together at either side, and bony projections from the leg bones, which form large bosses on either side, called the outer and inner malleoli, extending about 12 mm (half an inch) below the actual joint. Two common injuries near the ankle are a sprain, on the inner side, consisting of tearing of the internal ligament; and fracture of the ?bula (Pott’s fracture) on the outer side. (See also JOINTS, DISEASES OF.)... ankle

The square-shaped foot bone that forms the ankle joint together with the tibia and fibula.... talus

Also called the shin, the inner and thicker of the 2 long bones in the lower leg. The tibia runs parallel to the fibula, the narrower bone to which it is attached by ligaments. The upper end articulates with the femur to form the knee joint; the lower end articulates with the talus to form part of the ankle joint. On the inside of the ankle, the tibia is widened and protrudes to form a bony prominence that is known as the medial malleolus.... tibia

The use of animals in research to provide information about animal biology or, by inference, human physiology or behaviour. Animal research has contributed to the development of drugs, such as vaccines, and surgical techniques, such as transplant surgery. However, because of ethical concerns, alternative practices, such as cell cultures, are now used wherever possible.

animals, diseases from See zoonosis. anisometropia Unequal focusing power in the 2 eyes, usually due to a difference in size and/or shape of the eyes, that causes visual discomfort. For example, one eye may be normal and the other affected by myopia (shortsightedness), hypermetropia (longsightedness), or astigmatism (uneven curvature of the cornea). Glasses or contact lenses correct the problem in most cases. ankle joint The hinge joint between the foot and the leg. The talus (uppermost bone in the foot) fits between the 2 bony protuberances formed by the lower ends of the tibia (the shinbone) and the fibula (the outer bone of the lower leg). Strong ligaments on either side of the ankle joint give it support. The ankle allows for up-anddown movement of the foot.

An ankle sprain is one of the most

common injuries.

It is usually caused by twisting the foot over on to its outside edge, causing overstretching and bruising of the ligaments.

Violent twisting of the ankle can cause a combined fracture and dislocation known as Pott’s fracture.... animal experimentation

A group of muscles at the back of the thigh. The upper ends of the hamstring muscles are attached by tendons to the pelvis; the lower ends are attached by tendons called hamstrings to the tibia and fibula. The hamstring muscles bend the knee and swing the leg backwards from the thigh. Tearing of the hamstring muscles is common in sports. Repeated strenuous exercise may sprain the muscles (see overuse injury).... hamstring muscles

See femur, fracture of; fibula; tibia.... leg, broken

A combined fracture and dislocation of the ankle caused by excessive or violent twisting. The fibula breaks just above the ankle; in addition, the tibia breaks or the ligaments tear, resulting in dislocation.... pott’s fracture

A fracture that occurs as a result of repetitive jarring of a bone. Common sites include the metatarsal bones in the foot (see March fracture), the tibia or fibula, the neck of the femur, and the lumbar spine. The main symptoms are pain and tenderness at the fracture site. Diagnosis is by bone imaging. Treatment consists of resting the affected area for 4–6 weeks. The fracture may be immobilized in a cast.... stress fracture

Inflammation of the vulva and vagina. Vulvovaginitis is often provoked as a result of the infections candidiasis or trichomoniasis. (See also vaginitis; vulvitis.)

walking Movement of the body by lifting the feet alternately and bringing 1 foot into contact with the ground before the other starts to leave it. A person’s gait is determined by body shape, size, and posture. The age at which children first walk varies enormously.

Walking is controlled by nerve signals from the brain’s motor cortex (see cerebrum), basal ganglia, and cerebellum that travel via the spinal cord to the muscles. Abnormal gait may be caused by joint stiffness, muscle weakness (sometimes due to conditions such as poliomyelitis or muscular dystrophy), or skeletal abnormalities (see, for example, talipes; hip, congenital dislocation of; scoliosis; bone tumour; arthritis). Children may develop knock-knee or bowleg; synovitis of the hip and Perthes’ disease are also common. Adolescents may develop a painful limp due to a slipped epiphysis (see femoral epiphysis, slipped) or to fracture or disease of the tibia, fibula or femur.

Abnormal gait may also be the result of neurological disorders such as stroke (commonly resulting in hemiplegia), parkinsonism, peripheral neuritis, multiple sclerosis, various forms of myelitis, and chorea.

Ménière’s disease may cause severe loss of balance and instability.... vulvovaginitis

n. a ridge or linear protuberance, particularly on a bone. Examples include the crest of fibula and the iliac crest (of the ilium).... crest

n. any of the tendons at the back of the knee. They attach the hamstring muscles (the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus) to their insertions in the tibia and fibula.... hamstring

n. congenital absence or gross shortening (aplasia) of the distal portion of the arms or legs. Sometimes only one of the two bones of the distal arm (radius and ulna) or leg (tibia and fibula) may be affected. See also ectromelia.... hemimelia

n. either of the two protuberances on each side of the ankle: the lateral malleolus at the lower end of the *fibula or the medial malleolus at the lower end of the *tibia.... malleolus

adj. relating to or supplying the outer (fibular) side of the leg.... peroneal

n. one of the muscles of the leg that arises from the fibula. The peroneus longus and peroneus brevis are situated at the side of the leg and inserted into the metatarsal bones of the foot. They help to turn the foot outwards.... peroneus

n. an immovable joint in which the bones are separated by connective tissue. An example is the articulation between the bases of the tibia and fibula (see illustration).... syndesmosis

n. (pl. tarsi) 1. the seven bones of the ankle and proximal part of the foot (see illustration). The tarsus articulates with the metatarsals distally and with the tibia and fibula proximally. 2. the firm fibrous connective tissue that forms the basis of each eyelid.... tarsus

combining form denoting the tibia. Example: tibiofibular (relating to the tibia and fibula).... tibio