About Tibiofibular Joint Pain

The tibiofibular joint is the material that holds the leg bones between the knee and the ankle together. Any sort of pain generated by damage to this joint can be extremely painful. It is also possible that damage to the tibiofibular joint can cause pain in other parts of the body as well.

Identification

• The tibiofibular joint is a joint that connects the outer shin bone of the leg known as the fibula to the larger inner shin bone known as the tibia. There are actually two tibiofibular joints in every leg. One is located just below the knee where the tibia meets the fibula; the other is located just above the ankle. They are not joints in the classic sense that they are designed to allow a lot of movement, their job is to hold the shin bones together and allow for a low level of flexibility when the lower leg is twisted.

Dislocation

• The tibiofibular joint can become dislocated as the result of the trauma of an accident or a sporting injury. If the knee is fully bent and the foot is pointing straight down then this can put a great deal of strain on the tibiofibular joint. An impact to the leg in that position can force the fibula forward and dislocate one or both of the tibiofibular joints causing severe pain.

High Ankle Sprain

• Another potential source of tibiofibular joint pain is commonly referred to as a high ankle sprain. This is when the ankle gets hyper-extended and causes pain where the lower tibiofibular joint holds the fibula and tibia together. Although a sprain is not nearly as severe as a dislocation, the pain is still significant.

Weak Tendons

• Instability of the tibiofibular joints due to weak tendons can cause a great deal of pain. The pain normally radiates from the tibiofibular joint located just below the knee down to the ankle joint. There is a distinctive clicking noise that occurs during this weak joint condition, and movement of the knee or ankle will normally reproduce the pain. This condition is sometimes misdiagnosed as a torn meniscus of the knee, which is the cartilage found on the back of the actual knee joint.

Referred Back Pain

• Tibiofibular joint pain can also create referred pain in the lower back. Because of the close proximity to the sciatic nerve, a weak or improperly functioning tibiofibular joint may put pressure on the sciatic nerve when the leg is bent at a particular angle. This pressure radiates up the sciatic nerve and creates pain in the leg and the lower back.