In this anatomy lesson, ns going to cover the rib bones, also called costae in Latin. The ribs help protect an important organs in the thorax such together the heart and also lungs, and also they aid with breathing.
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Don’t it is in fooled their long, curved shape! Rib bones are not share as long bones. Instead, anatomists classify the ribs as flat bones, and also they are located within the axial skeleton. Together with the sternum, thoracic vertebrae, and costal cartilages, the ribs kind the thoracic cage, additionally called the bony thorax.
Ribs Anatomy
The average skeleton consists of 24 separation, personal, instance ribs, developed in 12 pairs, and also they are split into three main categories: true ribs, false ribs, and floating ribs.

True Ribs, False Ribs, and also Floating Ribs
The true ribs include rib pairs 1-7, with each rib articulating posteriorly to the thoracic vertebrae and also anteriorly come the sternum via costal cartilages. Because the true ribs attach to both the thoracic vertebrae and also the sternum, anatomists periodically splice those terms together and call the true ribs “the vertebrosternal ribs.”The false ribs include rib bag 8-12. Choose the true ribs, these false ribs articulate through thoracic vertebrae posteriorly. However, they execute not attach directly come the sternum anteriorly, and instead, attach to the costal cartilage the the coming before (superior) rib, other than for false ribs 11-12, which room the floating ribs. Since the false ribs connect to the vertebrae posteriorly and also costal cartilage anteriorly, anatomists sometimes contact the false ribs vertebrochondral ribs (vertebro = vertebrae; chondral = cartilage).The floating ribs (11-12) room the last 2 pairs that false ribs, however unlike the other false ribs, they perform not attach to the cartilage that the preceding ribs ~ above the anterior side. Instead, they connect posteriorly to the thoracic vertebrae and “float” without attaching come the costal cartilage anteriorly, so anatomists simply contact them “vertebral ribs.”Intercostal Spaces
The an are between every rib is referred to as the intercostal space, and also there are 11 intercostal spaces in the thoracic cage, which space filled v nerves, lymph nodes, arteries, veins, and also muscles. In fact, as soon as you eat ribs at a restaurant, you’re eat the intercostal muscles of an animal.

There room three main species of intercostal muscle, i m sorry facilitate chest movement: outside intercostal muscles, interior intercostal muscles, and also innermost intercostal muscles.
Each intercostal space is numbered after ~ the rib directly above it. So the first intercostal room will it is in the space just listed below the very first rib; the second intercostal an are is the an are below the second rib, and also so on.
These intercostal spaces are crucial landmarks for nurses and also other health care professionals, especially when assessing lung sounds and heart sounds.
As I stated in my sternum anatomy video, the 2nd pair of ribs accomplish at the junction in between the manubrium and the human body of the sternum, developing the sternal edge (or angle of Louis). The 2nd intercostal room will be just listed below the second pair of ribs. Indigenous there, you deserve to count the intercostal spaces to find the apical pulse, which is on the left side of the chest in ~ the fith intercostal space, down the midclavicular line.
Other intercostal spaces will enable you to assess various chest assessment sounds.
Rib Bone Anatomy and Landmarks
When assessing individual rib bones, you’ll notification that part have different structures, therefore anatomists categorize ribs right into two main types: typical and atypical.
Typical Rib Bones
Typical ribs encompass ribs 3-9, and also they function a column (or body), head, neck, groove, tubercle, and also anterior extremity.

Atyipcal Rib Bones
The patent ribs incorporate ribs 1, 2, 10, 11, and also 12.

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Free Quiz and an ext Anatomy Videos
Take a cost-free ribs anatomy quiz to test her knowledge, or review our ribs anatomy video. In addition, you can want to watch our anatomy and physiology lectures on YouTube, or inspect our anatomy and also physiology notes.