Do you need your floating ribs?

Ribs 7–10, which are the ribs in the middle of the rib cage, tend to break more frequently than the upper and lower ribs. The collar bone tends to protect the upper ribs, and the “floating” characteristic of the lowest ribs helps protect them from damage.

What would happen if I remove my ribs?

Rib removal carries the risk of bleeding, infection, and injury to underlying tissues.

Are false ribs necessary?

They have no anchor at all in the front of the body and are referred to as floating, vertebral or fluctuating ribs. The false ribs, or floating ribs, help protect the stomach and spleen. The twelve pairs of ribs constitute the ribcage which protects the internal organs and supports the upper body.

Do floating ribs go away?

Slipping rib syndrome doesn’t result in any long-term damage or affect internal organs. The condition sometimes goes away on its own without treatment. In more severe cases, a single intercostal nerve block can deliver permanent relief for some, but surgery may be needed if the pain is debilitating or doesn’t go away.

Does everyone have a floating rib?

Most people have a pair of floating ribs at the bottom of the ribcage (ribs 11 and 12), but a few have a third stubby little floating rib (13), and even fewer — yours truly included — have a 10th rib that floats free. Free to cause some trouble!

What is the importance of floating ribs?

The last two, the floating ribs, have their cartilages ending in the muscle in the abdominal wall. The configuration of the lower five ribs gives freedom for the expansion of the lower part of the rib cage and for the movements of the diaphragm, which has an extensive origin from the rib cage and the vertebral column.

Can floating ribs cause back pain?

Though its various names appear to have nothing to do with the spine, slipping rib syndrome can cause severe back pain in your thoracic spine—or your middle back when one of your ribs shifts out of normal position. In some patients, chest wall pain is the foremost symptom.

Are floating ribs rare?

Surprisingly often, people have extra or missing ribs and vertebrae. Most people have a pair of floating ribs at the bottom of the ribcage (ribs 11 and 12), but a few have a third stubby little floating rib (13), and even fewer — yours truly included — have a 10th rib that floats free. Free to cause some trouble!