Floating rib

Floating rib
The four floating ribs (indicated with red arrows)
The six lower ribs on a woman (left) and a man. The four floating ribs are small, especially on a woman.
Latin	costae fluctuantes, costae fluitantes

Floating ribs are four atypical ribs (two lowermost pairs, XI-XII) in the human ribcage. They are called so because they are attached to the vertebrae only, and not to the sternum or cartilage coming off of the sternum. Some people are missing one of the two pairs. Others have a third pair. Most, however, possess only two pairs.^{[citation needed]}

Their position can be permanently altered by a form of body modification called tightlacing, which uses a corset to compress and move the ribs.

See also

• Eleventh rib
• Twelfth rib
• False ribs

Additional images

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  Anterior surface of sternum and costal cartilages

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  Eleventh rib

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  Twelfth rib

External links

• Floating+ribs at eMedicine Dictionary