Version July 2025
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What is a lower leg fracture? —
This is when a bone in the lower leg breaks. The bones in the lower leg are the tibia (shinbone) and fibula (figure 1). They are part of the knee and ankle joints. A "fracture" is another word for a broken bone.
A lower leg fracture can be caused by:
●A sports injury or other accident
●Twisting the foot or ankle
●Falling or jumping from a height
●A direct blow to the lower leg
When a bone breaks, it might crack, break all the way through, or shatter.
There are different types of fractures, depending on which bone breaks and how. Examples include:
●"Open" fracture – This is when the bone sticks out of the skin or can be seen through a wound.
●"Closed" fracture – This is when the bone does not stick out of the skin and cannot be seen through a wound.
●"Stress fracture" – This is caused by overuse. It often happens in the foot or shin bones. It is more common in people who do an activity over and over, such as running, jumping, or dancing.
●"Avulsion" fracture – This is when a person moves a joint forcefully, and a ligament or tendon stretches or tears. It can pull so hard on the bone a small part of the bone cracks or breaks off.
Compared with adults' bones, children's bones are more likely to bend or break only partway. Special kinds of fractures children can get include:
●"Buckle" fracture – This is when the bone is compressed but does not break.
●"Growth plate" fracture – This is when the growing part of the bone near the end breaks, often where a ligament attaches to it.
●"Spiral" or "toddler's" fracture – This affects the tibia (shinbone) and happens in young children. It is caused by twisting the leg while the foot stays in place.
●"Bowing" fracture – This is when the fibula (small bone in the lower leg) is bent or curved but not broken on an X-ray.
What are the symptoms of a lower leg fracture? —
Symptoms depend on which bone breaks and the type of break. Common symptoms can include:
●Pain, swelling, or bruising over the area
●The area looking abnormal, bent, or not the usual shape
●Limping, or being unable to put weight on the leg
●Numbness in the area of the broken bone
If a fracture injures a nerve, this can also cause symptoms in nearby areas. For example, a break to the shinbone might cause pain, tingling, or weakness in the ankle or foot.
Is there a test for a lower leg fracture? —
Yes. The doctor or nurse will ask about your symptoms, do an exam, and take an X-ray.
They might also do other imaging tests, such as a CT, MRI, or ultrasound. These create pictures of the inside of the body.
How are lower leg fractures treated? —
Treatment depends, in part, on the type of fracture and how serious it is. The goal is to have the ends of the broken bone line up with each other so the bone can heal.
If the ends of the broken bone are already in line with each other, the doctor will put on a cast, splint, brace, or boot. This keeps the bone in the correct position so it can heal.
If the ends of the broken bone are not in line with each other, the doctor will need to line them up:
●Sometimes, they can move the bone to the correct position without doing surgery, and then put a cast, splint, or brace on. This is called "closed fracture reduction."
●For more serious fractures, they might need to do surgery to put the bone back in the correct position. This is called "open fracture reduction." To do this, they can:
•Use screws, pins, rods, or plates to fix the bones inside the body
•Put pins or screws through the skin and into the bones, and then attach the pins or screws to a bar that is outside of the skin
If any of the broken bones are near the knee, the doctor might limit how much the knee can bend or straighten. For stress fractures, the doctor might recommend limiting activities that cause pain for a time.
What other problems can happen? —
Sometimes, within a short period of time following an injury, a lower leg fracture leads to an abnormal buildup of pressure in a group of muscles in the leg. This is called "acute compartment syndrome." The main symptom is pain that suddenly gets much worse. Although this is uncommon, it is an emergency and needs to be treated as soon as possible with surgery.
Call your doctor or nurse right away if you have a lower leg fracture and your pain suddenly gets much worse.
How long do lower leg fractures take to heal? —
Most take weeks to months to heal. The doctor or nurse will talk to you about when to return to things like work, sports, or other activities.
Healing time also depends on the person. Healthy children usually heal much more quickly than older adults or adults with other medical problems.
How do I care for myself at home? —
To care for yourself or your child at home:
●Follow the doctor's instructions for wearing the cast, splint, brace, or boot. This supports and protects the bone as it heals. Some fractures are put in a cast right away. Others are not put in a cast until after the swelling goes down.
●Do not get a cast wet, unless the doctor says it is waterproof.
●Follow instructions about putting weight on your leg. You might not be allowed to put any weight on the leg, or only a little weight. You might want to use crutches or a walker to help you move around.
●Follow instructions for limiting activity and movement until the bone is healed. The doctor or nurse will tell you what activities are safe to do.
●Prop your injured leg on pillows, keeping it above the level of your heart. This might help lessen pain and swelling.
●The doctor might recommend you take an over-the-counter pain medicine. These include acetaminophen (sample brand name: Tylenol), ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin), and naproxen (sample brand name: Aleve).
●You might get a prescription for stronger pain medicines to take for a short time. Follow the instructions for taking these.
●Ice can help with pain and swelling – Put a cold gel pack, bag of ice, or bag of frozen vegetables on the injured area every 1 to 2 hours, for 15 minutes each time. Put a thin towel between the ice (or other cold object) and the cast, splint, or brace. Ice for at least 6 hours after an injury. It might help to ice longer, even up to 2 days.
●Eat a healthy diet that includes plenty of calcium, vitamin D, and protein (figure 2).
●Quit smoking, if you smoke. Your doctor or nurse can help. Broken bones take longer to heal if you smoke.
●You might need to work with a physical therapist (exercise expert) after your fracture heals. They will suggest exercises and stretches to strengthen your leg muscles and keep them from getting stiff.
When should I call the doctor? —
Call for emergency help right away (in the US and Canada, call 9-1-1) if you:
●Feel short of breath, or have trouble breathing
●Have sharp or severe chest pain
●Cough up blood
●Have severe pain in your leg that suddenly gets worse soon after an injury
Call the doctor or nurse for advice if:
●You have less feeling or movement in your toes.
●Your leg or foot gets swollen or starts to hurt more.
●Your skin gets red or irritated around the cast or splint, or redness spreads up your leg.
●The cast or splint feels too tight and uncomfortable, or your toes turn pale, blue, or gray.
●A bad smell or drainage is coming from the cast, splint, or wounds on your leg.
●The cast feels too loose, or gets cracked or soft.
●The cast gets wet, and it's not supposed to get wet.
Patient education: Fractures in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Fractures in children (The Basics)
Patient education: How to care for your cast (The Basics)
Patient education: How to care for your child's cast (The Basics)
Patient education: How to care for a splint (The Basics)
Patient education: How to use crutches (The Basics)
Patient education: How to use a walker (The Basics)
Patient education: Acute compartment syndrome (The Basics)
