Pinned broken leg. Coloured X-rays of a patient with a pinned broken shinbone (tibia). At left is a frontal view and at right is a side view. The fracture has been surgically immobilised by inserting a long pin and screwing it to the bone. This is known as internal fixation. It is important a bone is correctly aligned if it is to heal properly and avoid future complications. It can take up to six months for a tibia to heal, as it is a weight-bearing bone.