What’s a bump on the shin?
In layman’s terms, a bump on the shinbone is any kind of swelling under or in the skin of the front lower leg. The bump can have different causes and originate from different structures. Due to the fact that the bone on the shin is covered over a large area only by skin and without any other cushioning soft tissues, bumps on the shinbone quickly develop if you bump your leg there.
In most cases, a bump on the shin is harmless. Most of the time it does not require any special treatment and will disappear by itself. If the bump on the tibia remains for several weeks or becomes steadily larger, a medical examination should be carried out.
Causes
The most common cause of a bump on the tibia is swelling due to an injury to the lower leg. For example, if you bump the tibia, this can lead to an accumulation of water in the tissue or the escape of blood under the skin, which ultimately causes the bump. Another common cause of a bump on the tibia is localised inflammatory reactions such as the reaction to an insect bite.
This results in increased blood flow and increased permeability of the blood vessels at the affected area, which also leads to the formation of a bump. In rare cases, the bump on the tibia originates directly from the bone. Benign swellings are more frequent.
Only in extremely rare cases can a bump that develops over a long period of time and without an identifiable cause be a malignant swelling, i.e. bone cancer. Trauma, i.e. an injury to the tibia, is by far the most common cause for the development of bumps. In contrast to most other parts of the body, the bone on the front lower leg is hardly protected by soft tissue and the edge of the tibia is largely surrounded only by a thin layer of skin and subcutis.
In addition, the tibia can easily be injured, for example by tripping or bumping. In addition to the often severe pain caused by the pain-sensitive periosteum, such trauma often results in bumps. This can be caused by tissue water leaking out of the shinbone or by bleeding if blood vessels have been damaged.
Bumps after a trauma should be cooled and usually disappear within a few days. However, in the case of a severe injury such as a traffic accident, a doctor should be consulted, as the trauma may also have resulted in a fracture. Most of the bumps that can occur on the shin bone are soft.
This is due to the fact that most possible causes of the bump are due to increased fluid accumulation in or under the skin on the lower leg. This can be caused by an injury or an inflammatory reaction, among other things. If a bump on the tibia is soft, this can also generally be considered a good sign, as potentially dangerous bumps such as a bone growth tend to be very hard and rough to feel. Soft bumps on the shin bone usually disappear within a few days to a few weeks. However, if a soft bulge appears that is getting bigger and bigger or does not disappear after two weeks, a medical examination is recommended.
