The rib cage is an essential part of the human body. It protects your heart, lungs, and other internal organs from damage. Rib cages are made up of twelve pairs of ribs that form a protective cage around the vital organs in our chest cavity. The first seven ribs pairs fixed to the sternum is also know as the true ribs. In this blog post, we will explore what makes up the anatomy of the human rib cage!
What Is the Human Rib Cage?
The rib cage is a bony structure that forms the protective outer shell of the chest cavity. It comprises twelve pairs of ribs attached to the sternum in the front and the vertebrae in the back. The human rib cage is unique because it contains 24 ribs in total. Humans are classified as “rib-bearing” animals, which means that they have bones called ribs attached to their spine and sternum to protect vital organs like the heart and lungs.
Our rib cage structure is different from other mammals because we can move our lower set of ribs independently from the upper stage of ribs. The distinctive critical difference separates humans from other mammals and allows us to be more mobile than them, especially when breathing for us to speak or sing.
What Does It Do?
The ribcage plays an essential role in protecting the vital organs in the chest cavity, such as the heart and lungs. It also helps to protect the spinal cord and other internal organs. The ribcage also assists with breathing by expanding and contracting as you breathe in and out. In addition, the ribcage has a large surface area for the attachment of several muscles, including some that are used to assist with deep breathing.
Although not vital for our survival (except in an extreme situation where one must breathe by opening up a chest cavity), it is essential to note that the ribcage also helps us express ourselves and communicate through sound production such as speech, singing, and laughter.
What Are the Different Types of Ribs?
In addition, we have different types of ribs. These are the true ribs (also known as vertebrosternal ribs), the false ribs (or vertebrochondral ribs), and the floating ribs (or vertebral ribs.) The true ribs are the first seven pairs of ribs attached directly to the sternum. The false ribs are the following three pairs of ribs, indirectly connected to the sternum by cartilage. And finally, the floating ribs are the last two pairs of ribs, which are unattached to the sternum and each other.
The first seven pairs of ribs, also known as true ribs or vertebrosternal ribs, attach directly to the sternum in front with their cartilage called costal cartilages. This set of bones makes up most of your rib cage. The false ribs, or vertebrochondral ribs, are the following three pairs of ribs, and they attach to the sternum indirectly by way of cartilage that joins them to the costal cartilage of the true rib in front of it.