The inferior tibiofibular joint, also known as the distal tibiofibular joint (tibiofibular

syndesmosis A syndesmosis (“fastened with a band”) is a type of fibrous joint in which two bones are united to each other by fibrous connective tissue. The gap between the bones may be narrow, with the bones joined by ligaments, or the gap may be wide a ...

), is formed by the rough, convex surface of the

medial Medial may refer to: Mathematics * Medial magma, a mathematical identity in algebra Geometry * Medial axis, in geometry the set of all points having more than one closest point on an object's boundary * Medial graph, another graph that repr ...

side of the

distal Standard anatomical terms of location are used to describe unambiguously the anatomy of humans and other animals. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position provi ...

end of the

fibula The fibula (: fibulae or fibulas) or calf bone is a leg bone on the lateral side of the tibia, to which it is connected above and below. It is the smaller of the two bones and, in proportion to its length, the most slender of all the long bones. ...

, and a rough concave surface on the

lateral Lateral is a geometric term of location which may also refer to: Biology and healthcare * Lateral (anatomy), a term of location meaning "towards the side" * Lateral cricoarytenoid muscle, an intrinsic muscle of the larynx * Lateral release ( ...

side of the

tibia The tibia (; : tibiae or tibias), also known as the shinbone or shankbone, is the larger, stronger, and anterior (frontal) of the two Leg bones, bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates (the other being the fibula, behind and to the outsi ...

. Below, to the extent of about 4 mm, these surfaces are smooth and covered with

cartilage Cartilage is a resilient and smooth type of connective tissue. Semi-transparent and non-porous, it is usually covered by a tough and fibrous membrane called perichondrium. In tetrapods, it covers and protects the ends of long bones at the joints ...

, which is continuous with that of the

ankle joint The ankle, the talocrural region or the jumping bone (informal) is the area where the foot and the leg meet. The ankle includes three joints: the ankle joint proper or talocrural joint, the subtalar joint, and the inferior tibiofibular joint. Th ...

. The

ligaments A ligament is a type of fibrous connective tissue in the body that connects bones to other bones. It also connects flight feathers to bones, in dinosaurs and birds. All 30,000 species of amniotes (land animals with internal bones) have ligam ...

are: *

Anterior ligament of the lateral malleolus The anterior ligament of the lateral malleolus (anterior tibiofibular ligament or anterior inferior ligament) is a flat, trapezoidal band of fibers, broader below than above, which extends obliquely downward and lateralward between the adjacent ma ...

Posterior ligament of the lateral malleolus The posterior ligament of the lateral malleolus (posterior tibiofibular ligament, posterior inferior ligament) is smaller than the anterior ligament of the lateral malleolus and is disposed in a similar manner on the posterior surface of the synde ...

Interosseous membrane of leg The interosseous membrane of the leg (middle tibiofibular ligament) extends between the interosseous crests of the tibia and fibula, helps stabilize the Tib-Fib relationship and separates the muscles on the front from those on the back of the leg. ...

The

inferior transverse ligament of the tibiofibular syndesmosis The inferior transverse ligament of the tibiofibular syndesmosis is a connective tissue structure in the lower leg that lies in front of the posterior ligament. It is a strong, thick band, of yellowish fibers which passes transversely across the ...

is included in older versions of ''

Gray's Anatomy ''Gray's Anatomy'' is a reference book of human anatomy written by Henry Gray, illustrated by Henry Vandyke Carter and first published in London in 1858. It has had multiple revised editions, and the current edition, the 42nd (October 2020 ...

'', but not in ''

Terminologia Anatomica ''Terminologia Anatomica'' (commonly abbreviated TA) is the international standard for human anatomy, human anatomical terminology. It is developed by the Federative International Programme on Anatomical Terminology (FIPAT) a program of the Inter ...

''. However, it still appears in some anatomy textbooks. It should not be confused with the

superior tibiofibular joint The superior tibiofibular articulation (also called proximal tibiofibular joint) is an arthrodial joint between the lateral condyle of tibia and the head of the fibula. The contiguous surfaces of the bones present flat, oval facets covered w ...

, which is the only synovial tibiofibular joint, and is sometimes simply called the "tibiofibular articulation".

References

Joints {{musculoskeletal-stub