Charles Woodson of the Oakland Raiders suffered a broken fibula in a game against the Buffalo Bills. The broken fibula occurred when his teammate, defensive end Bobby Hamilton, landed on Woodson's leg. Woodson had just finished tackling Buffalo Bills running back Willis McGahee.

What is the fibula? The fibula is one of two bones that run through your calf. The other bone is called the tibia. The fibula is the smaller of these bones and connects to the back of your ankle. The fibula doesn't bear weight in your leg.

 

How does the fibula break? It's always direct or indirect trauma that causes a fibula break. In the case of Charles Woodson it was direct trauma from the teammate. You can also break a fibula by twisting the calf, which occurs in some industrial accidents.

What are some symptoms of a broken fibula:

• Pain
• Loss of mobility
• Difficulty walking
• Swelling

How do you treat a broken fibula? If there is no tissue damage to the area that requires sutures, the calf area can be addressed with a cast. If there is significant tissue damage or the fibula is shattered, then surgery will be necessary.

Most people who have broken fibulas need 6-8 weeks to heal followed by physical therapy.