Thoracic Cage

Win, Kunsue, and Thame 1204

Fun Facts!

"Rowers and baseball pitchers are the most common athletes to suffer from
stress fractures of the ribs"

- This is caused by the serratus anterior muscle pulling on the delicate ribs.

“Other athletes that may be more likely to suffer from rib stress fractures
include golfers, dancers, weightlifters and volleyball players"
What is the Thoracic Cage?

- A skeletal and cartilaginous structure

- Encircling the thoracic cavity
- Constructing an essential portion of the human skeleton.
Human Rib Cage
The Thoracic Cavity

- Lungs (pleural cavity)

- Heart (cardiac cavity)
What is included in the Thoracic Cage?

Thoracic cage including 12 pairs of ribs, 24 total ribs, with costal

cartilages at the end on ribs, and a sternum. The ribs is attached
posterior to 12 thoracic vertebrae.
Joint and cartilage
The ribs joined with thoracic vertebrae via synovial joint, costovertebral joints.

The ribs joined with sternum by cartilage.

What does the Thoracic Cage protect?

- The Rib cage in the Thoracic Cage project heart and lungs
- Protecting internal organs
- Supporting the weight of the upper limbs
- Maintaining the position of the upper limbs relative to the trunk
Why does the Thoracic Cage need to be slightly flexible?
Thoracic Cage Flexibility

- To simply put, it allows space for the lung to expand and gather oxygen
when breathing.
Another Fun Fact!

“A persistent urban myth is that Cher, Jane Fonda, Raquel Welch and Tori
Spelling, among others, have had their lower ribs removed to make their waists
smaller.”

- This is perhaps due to the idea of Victorian woman having their ribs
removed.
Cathie Jung

15 cm waist
References

● https://www.kenhub.com/en/library/anatomy/thoracic-cage
● Thoracic cage (imaios.com)
● https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=anatomy-of-a-joint-85-P00044
● https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/502701/9-interesting-facts-about-ribs