How many ribs do we have?


We have 12 pairs (12 on each side of the body) of ribs in the that is 24 in all.

They form a cage-like structure around the vital organs to protect them and due to this, all the ribs are collectively called the rib cage.

Rib cages are further divided into three parts depending on their attachment to the parts of sternum:

1. True ribs - These are the first seven pairs of ribs in the rib cage and called as true ribs because they are directly attached to the sternum.

2. False ribs - These consist of the eighth, ninth, and tenth pair of ribs and called as false ribs because they are not directly attached to the sternum, rather they are attached to the costal cartilages of true ribs.

3. Floating ribs - These consists of eleventh and twelfth pair of the ribs and called as floating ribs because they are not attached to the sternum or any other bone or cartilage.



Updated on: 10-Oct-2022

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