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Horse · Skeletal system

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Model: "Horse Skeleton" by Diego Luján García (diegoluga on Sketchfab), CC BY 4.0

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Tibia and fibula

Tibia et fibula

The bones of the leg. The tibia carries all the weight between the stifle and the hock; the horse's fibula is a slender vestige that does not reach the tarsus and whose distal end fuses with the tibia.

Laterality:: Paired (left and right)

Draft, not yet reviewed by a veterinarian. Content may contain errors. It is published so the community can review it.

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3D model of this piece: "Horse Skeleton" by Diego Luján García (diegoluga on Sketchfab), CC BY 4.0

Overview

The tibia (tibia) is the main bone of the leg. It articulates proximally with the femur, through the menisci, at the stifle, and distally with the talus at the hock. Its medial surface is subcutaneous along most of its length. The fibula (fibula) is much reduced in the horse: its head articulates with the lateral condyle of the tibia, its shaft is a slender rod that ends free about halfway down the leg, and its distal end fuses with the tibia to form the lateral malleolus.

Proximal end

Medial and lateral condyles: articular surfaces for the femoral condyles, separated by the intercondylar eminence, where the cruciate ligaments and menisci attach.
Tibial tuberosity (tuberositas tibiae): large, on the cranial surface; receives the three patellar ligaments.
Extensor groove (sulcus extensorius): on the lateral border; it carries the common tendon of origin of the long digital extensor and the peroneus tertius.
Tibial crest: continues the tuberosity distally on the cranial surface.

Distal end

Cochlea of the tibia (cochlea tibiae): articular surface with two oblique grooves separated by an intermediate ridge, which fit the ridges of the trochlea of the talus.
Medial malleolus: belongs to the tibia; origin of the medial collateral ligament of the tarsus.
Lateral malleolus: the distal end of the fibula fused with the tibia; origin of the lateral collateral ligament.

Clinical relevance

Tibial stress fractures: in young racehorses, a common cause of pelvic limb lameness early in training; confirmed by scintigraphy or radiography.
Kick fractures: the medial surface, with no muscle to protect it, takes kicks from other horses; incomplete fissures are monitored because they can become complete.
Osteochondrosis of the distal intermediate ridge: the most common site of osteochondrosis in the tarsus; it causes distension of the tarsocrural joint in young horses and is resolved arthroscopically.
Fibula on radiographs: its ossification from several centres leaves radiolucent lines that can be mistaken for fractures.