Synonyms
Head of fibula, head of fibula, external ankle, lateral malleolus, caput fibulae Medical: Fibula
Definition
In medicine, a fracture of the fibula is called a fibula fracture. The fibula fracture can be closed or open. In the case of an open fibula fracture, the fractured bone parts protrude through the skin to the outside.
Besides the tibia, the fibula is one of the two prominent bones of the lower leg. An isolated fibula fracture is rare, usually in conjunction with other fractures or impairments of the upper ankle joint (OSG). This is due to the fact that the lower part of the fibula, together with the distal part of the tibia and the trochlea tali (an articular roll on the upper side of the ankle (corpus tali)), forms the upper ankle joint (Articulatio talocruralis). The distal part of the fibula is most commonly affected (external ankle fracture), in which the lower distal tip of the fibula is broken.
Outer ankle fracture and syndesmosis tear
The most common “disease” of the fibula is the external ankle fracture, which is classified as Weber A, B or C depending on the height of the fracture for syndesmosis. The fibula is most frequently broken during sports. In rare cases, the close fibrous connection between the tibia and fibula in the ankle joint area (syndesmosis) can break. In most cases, such injuries must be surgically immobilised in order to achieve permanent stability of the ankle joint.
Causes
The cause of fibula fractures, in combination with injuries to the upper ankle joint, is usually a blunt external force applied to the lower leg. The fracture of the fibula is usually caused by indirect force, in combination with a fracture of the outer ankle and lower leg. Such blunt external force is particularly common when practising “dynamic sports” with rapid rotational movements, such as soccer. In addition to these “dynamic sports”, however, traffic accidents, occupational accidents, ankle twisting, strong rotational movements in the area of the upper ankle joint, as well as dislocation or subluxation of the ankle bone (talus), are also considered for such injuries of the fibula and upper ankle joint.
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