Crus (lower leg)

Crus (Latin for 'leg',^[1] plural is "crura") is the portion of the body starting from the ankle and ending at the knee. It is sometimes known as the gaiter. The tibia and fibula are the two bones of the crus.

Fracture

A crus fracture is a fracture of either or both of the tibia and fibula.

Fractures of only the tibia include:

• Bumper fracture - a fracture of the lateral tibial plateau caused by a forced valgus applied to the knee
• Segond fracture - an avulsion fracture of the lateral tibial condyle
• Gosselin fracture - a fractures of the tibial plafond into anterior and posterior fragments^[2]
• Toddler's fracture - an undisplaced and spiral fracture of the distal third to distal half of the tibia^[3]

Fractures of only the fibula include:

• Maisonneuve fracture - a spiral fracture of the proximal third of the fibula associated with a tear of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis and the interosseous membrane.
• Le Fort fracture of ankle - a vertical fracture of the antero-medial part of the distal fibula with avulsion of the anterior tibiofibular ligament.^[4]
• Bosworth fracture - a fracture with an associated fixed posterior dislocation of the proximal fibular fragment which becomes trapped behind the posterior tibial tubercle. The injury is caused by severe external rotation of the ankle.^[5]

Combined tibia and fibula fractures include:

• Trimalleolar fracture - involving the lateral malleolus, medial malleolus and the distal posterior aspect of the tibia
• Bimalleolar fracture - involving the lateral malleolus and the medial malleolus.
• Pott's fracture

References