The skeletal system supports and gives shape to the body

The skeletal system supports and gives shape to the body. Numerous organs are protected by hard substances, known as bones. Bones contain calcium and are quite hard that provide protection to the delicate organs in the body. Not just these offer proper protection, but bones present proper figure to the human body and also gives power. The main organs like heart and lungs are protected by the chest bones. Chest, the medical title for it is thorax, has got 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 middle of the thorax, over 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 provides support to the two sets of ribs and is located exactly in the middle of the chest. As in the growth phase of sternum, it is divided within 3 sections. Each portion is called as sternebra. The sternum is nearly 17 centimetres in length.

The sternum is connected to all the ribs through cartilage. Sternum shields the highly critical and soft body organs for example, heart, lungs along with the blood vessels, from any kind of outer or physical harm. It is generally made up of vascular tissue. Still, a rather thin layer of the bone covers this vascular tissue. The thickest part of sternum is manubrium.

The Ribs

There are twenty four ribs in a human body. These 24 ribs form two sets on both sides of the chest. The rib bones make a cage like shape and therefore termed as ribcage. The ribcage surrounds and protects the entire chest. The delicate and the most essential organs of the body as well as the blood vessels are protected by the ribcage. While inhaling, the rib cage contracts and increases with the pair of lungs which aids to breathe easily.

The seven ribs from the twelve are called the "true ribs". These are called so, since these ribs are right away attached to sternum. Coastal cartilage is the cartilage that connects the sternum and true ribs together. It offers strength to the rib cage and also helps in moving the ribs. The remaining 5 ribs are labeled false ribs and 3 ribs from these 5 are attached to sternum via cartilage. The remaining two ribs are not connected to the sternum and thus called as floating ribs. These floating ribs are 11th and twelfth ribs that are even labeled as vertebral ribs.

There is inflammation in the coastal cartilage. These are partially variable. There can be a severe damage to coastal cartilage if you experience trauma in the chest. The scientific name for this severe condition like inflammation is called Costochondritis. It is somewhat painful and the warning signs result in damaged rib, lungs are affected or perhaps somebody struggling with this problem can experience a severe heart stroke. However, one should contact the doctor immediately if there is any kind of pain in the chest.