Eighty patients having sustained a tibial fracture were randomly divided into 2 treatment groups. This study aimed to determine whether the new magnetic-locking technique is superior to the standard freehand technique in regards to operation time and exposure to radiation. Results revealed that the magnetic locking system had the same degree of efficacy as the standard freehand technique; however it had lower operative times and radiation exposure compared to the standard freehand technique. Overall, the magnetic locking system may provide benefits over standard techniques and merits further investigation.