The tibia (also called the shinbone) is the larger of the two bones in the lower leg between the knee and the ankle. Your child has a splint to treat a fracture (break) in the bone. A splint is like a cast but doesn't go all the way around the leg. A splint helps fractures by holding the bones in place while they heal. In a few days after the swelling goes down the splint will be changed to a cast. 

Take care of the splint and treat pain as instructed to keep your child comfortable while the fracture heals.

• To control swelling, for the first 2 days after the injury:
  • Use pillows to raise the splint above heart level when your child is sitting or lying down.
  • When your child is awake, put ice in a plastic bag wrapped in a towel on the outside of the splint for 20 minutes every 3 hours for up to 2 days. Don't put ice directly on the splint or skin.
• Remind your child to keep off the leg. If your child has crutches, make sure they're used safely.
• Remind your child to wiggle the toes to keep blood flowing normally.

If your child has pain:

Give your child acetaminophen (Tylenol^® or a store brand) or ibuprofen (Advil^®, Motrin^®, or a store brand) as recommended by the care team. Follow the package directions for how much to give and how often. 

Daily splint care:

• Don't remove or change the position of the splint.
• Check the area around the splint every day. Make sure the skin isn't scratched and the fingers aren't pale, blue, numb, or tingling.
• Make sure your child doesn't pick at the lining of the splint or scratch under it.
• Don't put anything in the splint. Make sure your child doesn't put toys, food, or other objects into it.
• Keep dirt, sand, lotion, and powder away from the splint.
• Keep the splint dry:
  • No swimming.
  • Give sponge baths to kids younger than 5 years old.
  • Older kids should take baths instead of showers. Put a plastic covering over the splint when your child bathes. Put the leg and splint on something to keep them completely out of the water.
  • If the splint is accidentally splashed, gently blow air onto it from a hair dryer on the cool setting.

Problems to watch for:

• Itching: Tap lightly on the splint or use a hair dryer on the cool setting to blow air in and around the edges.
• Swelling: If the toes look puffy, raise the leg above the level of the heart for 1 hour. If the swelling doesn't get better, call your health care provider.

Be sure to:

• Follow up with the orthopedic specialist as directed.
• Have your child avoid gym class, sports, and playground equipment until the orthopedic specialist says it's OK.

Your child:

• has pain that's not helped by pain medicine
• has pain that gets worse
• has a fever with no clear reason
• has red or raw skin near the edge of the splint
• has swollen toes even after raising the leg
• feels the splint is too tight

• Your child can't wiggle their toes.
• Your child has severe pain when moving the toes.
• The foot or toes are pale or blue.
• The splint is loose or damaged, gets wet, or smells bad.

Will my child need a cast? Yes. In a few days after the swelling goes down, the orthopedic specialist will change the splint to a cast. After several weeks, the cast might be changed to a walking boot.

How long does it take a tibia fracture to heal? Healing time varies. Depending on the tibia fracture and the child, kids will need a cast or boot for a total of around 6–12 weeks.