Question

Match the following features of the tibia and fibula with their definitions.

A. Head of Tibia: Proximal end; Head of Fibula: Distal end
B. Head of Tibia: Distal end; Head of Fibula: Proximal end
C. Head of Tibia: Articulates with femur; Head of Fibula: Articulates with tibia
D. Head of Tibia: Articulates with patella; Head of Fibula: Articulates with calcaneus

Answer 1

Option C is correct: The head of the tibia articulates with the femur, forming part of the knee joint, and the head of the fibula articulates with the tibia, forming the proximal tibiofibular joint.

Step-by-step explanation:

When matching the features of the tibia and fibula with their definitions, option C is the correct match: The head of the tibia articulates with the femur, and the head of the fibula articulates with the tibia.

The head of the fibula is the proximal end and connects with the underside of the lateral condyle of the tibia. This forms the proximal tibiofibular joint. Conversely, the head of the tibia, which is at the proximal end of the tibia, articulates with both the femur and the patella to form part of the knee joint. Hence, the head of the tibia does not form the distal end, nor does the head of the fibula articulate with the calcaneus (that is the lateral malleolus of the fibula which is part of the ankle joint).