Fibula Fracture
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer. Although the fibula is one of the smaller bones in the leg, a fracture in this location can still be a serious situation.
What is a Fibula Fracture?
A bone fracture in the fibula is termed a fibula fracture. The fibula is the smaller of the two bones in the lower part of the leg, with the other bone being the tibia. A fibula fracture has the potential to be a serious injury that requires a significant amount of medical care.
Mechanism of Injury
Any traumatic injury that develops in the lower leg can lead to a fracture of the fibula. Some people break their fibula through a plant and twist injury while playing sports while other people could suffer this fracture as a pedestrian injury if they are struck by a car. The fibula is a smaller bone and presents a smaller target; however, external forces applied to the lower leg might lead to a fracture in the fibula.
Treatment of a Fibula Fracture
A patient who is being treated for a fibula fracture that has occurred, such as in an auto accident will need to receive an x-ray to properly diagnose the injury. After this, the patient could be placed in a splint or a cast prior to the leg healing. The patient will slowly return to weight bearing as the fracture starts to heal. Most patients will be placed in a cast for a period of several weeks as the leg returns to normal.
Complications may Occur
There are a handful of comorbidities which might pop up when a patient suffers a fracture in their fibula. One of these is damage to the nerves that run down the leg. If these are damaged, the patient could lose the ability to move or feel certain muscles or parts of their leg.
Other Structures are at Risk
There are a few other structures in the leg that are at risk whenever a fibula fracture occurs. Some of these includes the ligaments of the knee, such as the ACL and the PCL, and the tibia, the other bone in the lower leg.
Differential Diagnosis
A fracture of the fibula has multiple options on the differential diagnosis that should all be considered closely:
- Fracture of the Femur
- Fracture of the Tibia
- Fracture of the Kneecap
- Fracture of the Ankle
Injury Prognosis
Most fibula fractures have a good prognosis; however, it is important to review every case individually. Those that require surgery are usually more complicated.
Surgery is Possible
While some fibula fractures do not require surgery, those that are open or displaced could require a trip to the operating room to set the bones in the proper position to heal.
If you have suffered a fibula fracture due to the negligent or careless acts of someone else, contact Sacramento personal injury lawyer, Ed Smith, for assistance.
Experienced Fibula Fracture Attorney
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Personal Injury Lawyer. Individuals who have had an accident involving a fibula fracture can reach out to me at (916) 921-6400 for friendly, free advice. My office has a toll-free option for those residing outside of Sacramento at: (800) 404-5400.
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Final Photograph: Sacramento personal injury lawyer, Ed Smith
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