Discover all the BONES of the THORAX
Image: Knowing is practical
The chest is the region of our body that is comprised between the lower neck and the diaphragm, the structure that separates the rib cage from the abdominal region, where most of the digestive and excretory organs are located. As we saw in a previous lesson from a TEACHER on How many bones has the human body, the thorax has 44 bones, most of them being ribs. In this lesson from a PROFESSOR we will see the list of bones that make up the thorax, the types of ribs and vertebrae that form it, and some curiosities about the sternum, the only odd bone in the thorax. If you want to know more about chest bones keep reading!
Index
- What bones make up the thorax?
- The ribs, one of the bones of the thorax
- The thoracic and cervical vertebrae
- The sternum, other bones of the chest
What bones make up the thorax?
The thorax is the region of the human being that comprises from the end of the neck to the diaphragm. This region has cone or pyramid shape
since it is narrow at the top, near the neck, and wide at the bottom, where it joins the abdomen. In addition, the thorax is slightly shorter in front than behind and it is not totally cylindrical, since it is somewhat flattened anteroposteriorly.As we said before, the thorax is formed for 44 bones:
- 24 ribs. The thorax is made up of 12 pairs of ribs, each on each side of the body and separated by the sternum. Of these 12 pairs, 7 are true ribs, 3 are false ribs and 2 are floating ribs.
- 19 vertebrae. The spinal column crosses the thorax in the dorsal region, what we commonly call the back. At this point, you can distinguish 12 thoracic vertebrae and 7 cervical vertebrae.
- The breastbone. The sternum is the only odd bone that is part of the chest. It is found in the middle region of the body, in the upper and anterior part of the chest.
Image: Human skeleton
The ribs, one of the bones of the thorax.
The ribs are thin, flat bones shaped like arched ribbons that form the rib cage. We humans have 12 pairs of ribs (24 in total), which are classified into three types:
- Real ribs. They are the first seven ribs or first seven pairs of ribs. These ribs are found in the upper part of the rib cage and are attached in the middle of this to the sternum by costal cartilages, one for each of the ribs.
- False ribs. Ribs eight, nine, and ten are called false ribs because they are attached via costal cartilage to the immediately anterior rib rather than to the sternum and not to the sternum. The eighth rib joins the seventh rib, the ninth rib joins the eighth, and the 10th joins the ninth rib.
- Floating ribs. Lastly, the eleventh and twelfth pairs are called floating ribs and are ribs that do not join the sternum or anterior ribs (hence the term "floating"). Also, these ribs are considerably shorter than the previous ones.
The ribs may look like long bones but are not medically classified as long bone as they lack the medullary canal that long bones do. In medical or anatomical terms, the ribs are flat bones.
Image: Nutricioni
The thoracic and cervical vertebrae.
Within the bones of the thorax we also find the vertebrae, short, highly specialized bones that make up the spinal column. These bones are very different depending on the region of the body in which they are located. In the case of the thorax, we will be able to find two types of vertebrae: cervical vertebrae and thoracic vertebrae.
In the thorax we find 7 cervical vertebrae called C's followed by their number, starting counting from the end of the head. Thus, for example, the first cervical vertebra is called C1, the second cervical vertebra C2, the third C3, etc. The only cervical vertebrae with proper names are the first (atlas) and the second (axis).
Following the cervical vertebrae we find the thoracic vertebrae. In humans we find 12 vertebrae of this type, which stand out for being stronger and more robust than the previous ones (but smaller than the lumbar ones). These are named T1 through T12, starting from the top, where the cervical vertebrae are, to the bottom of the body, where the lumbar vertebrae are.
Image: Natural Sciences
The sternum, other bones of the chest.
The breastbone It is an odd, flat bone that is found in the upper and anterior part of the thorax. In it, three parts are distinguished, from top to bottom: manubrium, body and xiphoid process.
The handle is the upper part of the sternum, the closest to the clavicle. At the upper edge of the manubrium is the jugular notch and, to the sides, the articular surfaces for the clavicle and the first costal cartilage. The body of the sternum is the middle part of it. On the sides of the body of the sternum are the articular facets where the cartilage is housed costalis, which form the joints between the sternum and the first ribs of the thorax (ribs true).
Finally we find the xiphoid appendix, which has can be in the shape of a triangle with the vertex facing down but can also be oval or rounded. In addition, depending on the person, it may be tilted forward or backward and may or may not have a hole called the xiphoid foramen.
Image: Youtube
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Bibliography
- Cirlos, G. G., & Gutierrez, G. (1995). Principles of anatomy, physiology and hygiene: education for health. Editorial Limusa.
- Topographic anatomy (s.f). Cervical vertebrae. Recovered from https://www.anatomiatopografica.com/huesos/vertebras-cervicales/
- Topographic anatomy (s.f). Thoracic vertebrae. Recovered from https://www.anatomiatopografica.com/huesos/vertebras-toracicas/
- Topographic anatomy (s.f). The ribs of the human body. Recovered from https://www.anatomiatopografica.com/huesos/costillas/
- Royal Nursing (January 26, 2019). Parts of the sternum. Recovered from https://laenfermeriareal.com/partes-del-esternon/
