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Designing for Upper Torso and Arm Anatomy
Published in Karen L. LaBat, Karen S. Ryan, Human Body, 2019
Look at the 12 pairs of ribs. Unlike the movable vertebrae, these bones are more delicate the farther they are from the head (White & Folkens, 2005, p. 185). As with the vertebrae, the form (shape and size) of the ribs (Figure 4.11) helps determine the motion of the rib cage. Structures vary between the 1st rib, ribs 2–10, and ribs 11 and 12. Each rib attaches to the thoracic spine at one or more movable costovertebral joints and then curves down and around toward the front of the body. The typical rib, like ribs 2–9, has a head which articulates with two adjacent vertebral bodies, a tubercle which articulates with the vertebral transverse process, an angled bony body, or shaft, with a facet (on the sternal end) which articulates anteriorly with a section of cartilage (shaded in Figures 4.10 and 4.11) (Palastanga, Field, & Soames, 2002, pp. 460–462; Talbot et al., 2017). Ribs 1–7 attach to the sternum with a simple bridge of cartilage. Ribs 8–12 are false ribs, because they do not attach directly to the sternum. Ribs 11 and 12 do not have tubercles or facets and are much shorter than the other ribs. They are floating ribs and do not attach to the sternum at all. Rib 12 is approximately one-fourth the length of rib 9.
Influence of morphology and material properties on the range of motion of the costovertebral joint – a probabilistic finite element analysis
Published in Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, 2018
Benedikt Schlager, Frank Niemeyer, Christian Liebsch, Fabio Galbusera, Julius Boettinger, Daniel Vogele, Hans-Joachim Wilke
The rib cage plays an important role in human trunk biomechanics, such as respiration (Agostoni et al. 1967; Wilson et al. 1987; Cappello and De Troyer 2004), protection and support of the viscera, as well as in the stabilization of the spine (Andriacchi et al. 1974; Oda et al. 1996; Brasiliense et al. 2011; Liebsch et al. 2016, 2017). The main mechanical links between the rib cage and the thoracic spine are the costovertebral joints (CVJ), which provide an articular connection between a rib and its adjacent vertebrae. In consideration of the functions of the ribcage, the costovertebral joint provides a stable link between a rib and the adjacent vertebra with the ability to transmit high loads to the spine, while at the same time offering enough flexibility for respiration.