Rib cage

The rib cage is the framework of ribs, sternum, and thoracic vertebrae that surrounds the chest. It protects the heart and lungs while moving with breathing.

Rib: A curved, elongated bone that forms part of the thoracic cage. Ribs make up most of the cage’s walls and connect it to the spine.
Diaphragm: A dome-shaped muscle separating the thoracic and abdominal cavities and serving as the main muscle of inspiration. Its downward contraction expands the space enclosed by the rib cage.
Rib fracture: A break in one or more ribs, commonly caused by blunt trauma or weakened bone. Fractures can make chest movement painful and threaten nearby organs.
Pulmonary contusion: A bruise of lung tissue that causes bleeding and swelling without a penetrating wound. Blunt impacts to the rib cage can injure the lungs even when the bones remain intact.
Sternum: A flat bone at the front of the chest, consisting of the manubrium, body, and xiphoid process. Its joints with the costal cartilages complete the cage at the front.
Intercostal muscles: Muscles occupying the spaces between adjacent ribs. Their contractions and relaxations move the ribs during breathing.
Flail chest: A severe injury in which multiple adjacent ribs are fractured in multiple places, creating a free-moving chest-wall segment. It disrupts the cage’s stability and can impair breathing.
Pectus excavatum: A chest-wall deformity in which the sternum and adjacent ribs curve inward. It changes the shape of the cage and can affect appearance or, in severe cases, function.
Thoracic vertebra: One of the twelve vertebrae in the upper and middle back, each associated with ribs. These vertebrae anchor the ribs along the cage’s posterior wall.
Pump-handle movement: The upward and forward rotation of the upper ribs and sternum during inspiration. It increases the chest’s front-to-back dimension.

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