Which bone extends down the anterior leg and is superficial?

Which bone extends down the anterior leg and is superficial?

• A. Tibia
• B. Fibula
• C. Femur
• D. Patella

Answer: (A)

The shin bone is the tibia. It runs down the front of the lower leg and has a prominent, near-surface front border you can feel just under the skin along the shin. The tibia is the main weight-bearing bone of the lower leg, which is why it sits along the front and is easily palpable. The other bones don’t fit the description as well. The fibula is a thinner bone on the outer (lateral) side of the leg and isn’t the prominent bone along the anterior surface. The femur sits in the thigh, not the leg, and the patella is the kneecap, located in front of the knee.

The shin bone is the tibia. It runs down the front of the lower leg and has a prominent, near-surface front border you can feel just under the skin along the shin. The tibia is the main weight-bearing bone of the lower leg, which is why it sits along the front and is easily palpable.

The other bones don’t fit the description as well. The fibula is a thinner bone on the outer (lateral) side of the leg and isn’t the prominent bone along the anterior surface. The femur sits in the thigh, not the leg, and the patella is the kneecap, located in front of the knee.