Chest Bones in a Human Body
The shape and support to the entire body is provided by the skeletal system. Multiple organs are safeguarded by hard substances, known as bones. As bones are made up of calcium and other minerals, these are hard structures offering protection to the internal organs of the body. Not only these offer you security, but bones present correct figure to the human body as well as provides potency. Similarly, the chest bones protect the delicate heart and lungs. Chest, the medical name for it is thorax, has got 25 bones. The chest bones are of two main types, the sternum and the ribs.
The Sternum
The sternum is T-shaped, extended and flat bone which is at the center of the thorax, above the heart plus middle chest (mediastinum). It consists of three main parts. The Manubrium, the gladiolus and the xiphoid process form the three parts of sternum. The sternum is located exactly in between the chest and acts as a supports of both the sets of ribs. While in the evolution level of sternum, it is separated within three portions. These three portions are called sternebra. The sternum is close to 17 centimetres in length.
The sternum is connected to all the ribs through cartilage. Sternum defends the highly vital and delicate body organs such as heart, lungs and even the blood vessels, from any type of external or bodily harm. Sternum is nothing but vascular tissues. Still, a extremely thin covering of the bone coats this vascular tissue. The thickest part of sternum is manubrium.
The Ribs
There are twenty-four ribs in a body of a human. These 24 ribs form two sets on both sides of the chest. The rib bones make a cage like design and thus termed as ribcage. The ribcage surrounds and protects the entire chest. Even the ribcage protect the vital body organs and important blood vessels in the chest cavity. Whilst breathing in, the rib cage contracts and expands with the pair of lungs which allows to breathe comfortably.
From the twelve ribs, seven are called “true ribs”. These are called so, as these ribs are straight fixed to sternum. Coastal cartilage is the cartilage that connects the sternum and true ribs together. It delivers elasticity to the rib cage and as well assists in movement of the ribs. The remaining five ribs are described as false ribs and three ribs from these five are fixed to sternum by means of cartilage. The remaining two ribs are not connected to the sternum and thus called as floating ribs. These floating ribs are 11th and 12th ribs which are even called vertebral ribs.
The coastal cartilages often experience inflammation. These are partly adaptive. If there is some sort of disturbance in the chest, the coastal cartilage can be severely damaged. The scientific name for this severe condition like inflammation is called Costochondritis. It is really uncomfortable and the signs or symptoms cause cracked rib, lungs are harmed or also someone enduring this situation can have a acute heart stroke. If you feel pain in chest, you need to consult the doctor immediately so as to prevent major problem.
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