The tibia (plural tibiae or tibias), also known as the shinbone or shankbone, is the larger and stronger of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates (the other being the fibula), and it connects the knee with the ankle bones. The tibia is found next to the fibula on the medial side of the leg, closer to centre-line. The tibia is connected to the fibula by the interosseous membrane of leg, forming a type of joint called a syndesmosis with very little movement. The tibia is named for the Greek aulos flute, also known as a tibia. It is commonly recognized as the strongest weightbearing bone of the body.