ABSTRACT
There is a high incidence of associated injuries accompanying closed tibial shaft fractures, including compartment syndrome, arterial and neurological injury. Twenty per cent of fractures have an associated knee ligament injury. A bifocal fracture may involve the tibial plateau or ankle in 5% of cases. In other cases the fracture may extend from the diaphysis to intra-articular regions. Pathological fractures due to metastatic spread are rare; however, metabolic bone disease may manifest as a tibial fracture. Stress fractures, even in the young, are recognized.
