Broken lower leg bones. Coloured X-ray of the right lower leg of a patient, showing fractures (lower centre) of its bones. The fibula (left) is the thinner of the two bones. The other bone is the tibia or shinbone (right). These bones connect the ankle (bottom centre) and the knee (not seen). Broken bones are usually treated by being reset into the correct position and held in place by a plaster cast while healing. An immobilising collar (inflatable) has been temporarily applied here (blue) for transport to a hospital for expert care and setting of the bones.