Chest Bones in a Human Body - By: Jamie Hanson

The skeletal system supports and gives shape to the body. Multiple organs are guarded by hard substances, medically 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 offer perfect structure to the human body plus gives power. The main organs like heart and lungs are protected by the chest bones. Chest, the medical label for it is thorax, has twenty five bones. The sternum and the ribs are the two main types of chest bones.

The Sternum

The sternum is T-shaped, rather long and flat bone which is at the midst 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 enhancement stage of sternum, it is separated within 3 parts. These three portions are called sternebra. The sternum is close to 17 cm in length.

The sternum is connected to all the ribs through cartilage. Sternum safe guards the highly essential and delicate body organs including heart, lungs and also the blood vessels, from any kind of external or bodily injury. Sternum is nothing but vascular tissues. Yet, a very thin covering of the bone covers this vascular tissue. The thickest part of sternum is manubrium.

The Ribs

There are twenty four ribs in a body. These 24 ribs form two sets on both sides of the chest. The rib bones form a cage like design and hence termed as ribcage. Ribcage not only surrounds the chest but also protects it. The delicate and the most essential organs of the body as well as the blood vessels are protected by the ribcage. Whilst breathing, the rib cage contracts and grows with the set of lungs which facilitates to breathe normally.

From the twelve ribs, seven are called "true ribs". These are labeled so, since these ribs are straightaway joined to sternum. Coastal cartilage is the cartilage that connects the sternum and true ribs together. It offers elasticity to the rib cage and also aids in moving the ribs. The rest five ribs are often called false ribs and 3 ribs from these five are joined to sternum via cartilage. The remaining two ribs are not connected to the sternum and thus called as floating ribs. These floating ribs are eleventh and 12th ribs that are even named vertebral ribs.

The coastal cartilages often experience inflammation. These are mostly variable. If there is some sort of disturbance in the chest, the coastal cartilage can be severely damaged. This inflammation in the coastal cartilage is called as Costochondritis. It is pretty inflamed and the indications lead to damaged rib, lungs are damaged or perhaps anyone experiencing this dilemma can encounter a serious heart stroke. However, one should contact the doctor immediately if there is any kind of pain in the chest.

About the Author

Know the importance of Chest bones and learn about Chest bone at learnbones.com

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