• Lower leg pain
• Tenderness around lower leg area
• Swelling
• Skin discoloration or bruising
• A bump forming on the shin or lower leg that was not there before
• Being unable to move your leg

• Immediate, severe sharp pain in the shin
• Pain is constant
• Inability or pain when placing weight on affected leg
• Feeling as though the leg cannot support your weight

• Sudden force applied to the bone through a collision
• fall
• or sudden twist can cause the bone to crack or break

• Does your lower leg show any swelling, bumps, or discoloration?
• Is there pain when placing weight on the affected leg?
• Does your leg feel unstable when weight is placed on affected leg?
• Does the leg look noticeably out of place?

Educational only — not a medical diagnosis.

1. 1When there is a suspected broken bone, always go to the doctor as soon as possible
2. 2Avoid placing weight on the affected leg

• Severe pain
• Bone is visible through the skin
• The affected leg is visibly out of place or looks noticeably different
• New bruising or swelling that occurs with any of these other symptoms

• Strictly follow immobilization instructions as expressed by the doctor
• Avoid putting weight on the affected leg unless given the "ok" by a doctor
• Early on, ice for 15-20 minutes at a time, a few times a day in order to control swelling
• Keep the affected leg elevated above your heart when possible