A fracture is a break in the structural continuity of bone.

It may be no more than a

crack, a crumpling or a splintering of the cortex; more often the break is complete
and the bone fragments are displaced. If the overlying skin remains intact it is a
closed (or simple) fracture; if the skin or one of the body cavities is breached it is
an open (or compound) fracture, liable to contamination and infection. Fractures
result from: (1) a single highly stressful, traumatic incident; (2) repetitive stress of
normal degree persisting to the point of mechanical fatigue; or (3) normal stress
acting on abnormally weakened bone (a so-called ‘pathological’ fracture).
Because of its subcutaneous position, the tibia is more commonly
fractured, and more commonly sustains an open fracture, than any other long
bone.
The incidence of tibial shaft fracture was 16.9/100,000/year. Males have
the highest incidence of 21.5/100,000/year and present with the highest frequency
between the age of 10 and 20, whereas women have a frequency of
12.3/100,000/year and have the highest frequency between the age of 30 and 40
The leg is divided into four osseofascial compartment by interosseous
membrane of the leg, transverse intermuscular septum, and intermuscular (crral)
septum.