# floating rib? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 11, 2004, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floating-rib/244559 "2004-05-11T02:35:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drhess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@drhess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drhess)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2004, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floating-rib/244559/1 "2004-05-11T02:35:37Z")
I hear people talk about the “floating rib” on people sometimes. What’s that? ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2004, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floating-rib/244559/2 "2004-05-11T02:43:47Z")
> [@](#): > > The last two sets of rib bones are called floating ribs. Floating ribs are smaller than both the true ribs and the false ribs. They are attached to the spine at the back, but are not connected to anything in the front. Source: [http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/biology/humananatomy/skeletal/ribs/ribs.html](http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/biology/humananatomy/skeletal/ribs/ribs.html) ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2004, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floating-rib/244559/3 "2004-05-11T02:46:54Z")
Here is a front view of[a skeleton.](http://www.innerbody.com/htm/body.html) You have to click on the picture of the skull at the upper left. Notice that most of the ribs are connected to to the spine and a rather thick, flat bone in the center. That’s the sternum. Down at the bottom of the rib cage are a couple of ribs on each side that connect only to the spine with the forward end unattached, or ‘floating.’ ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2004, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floating-rib/244559/4 "2004-05-11T03:02:02Z")
Curse you Snidely Whiplash, nee **Duckster**. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2004, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floating-rib/244559/5 "2004-05-11T03:19:28Z")
> [@David Simmons](#): > > Curse you Snidely Whiplash, nee **Duckster**. Ah, you have a bone to pick with me? Can’t handle the ribbing, eh? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![drhess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@drhess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drhess)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2004, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floating-rib/244559/6 "2004-05-11T17:55:51Z")
> [@David Simmons](#): > > Here is a front view of[a skeleton.](http://www.innerbody.com/htm/body.html) You have to click on the picture of the skull at the upper left. Notice that most of the ribs are connected to to the spine and a rather thick, flat bone in the center. That’s the sternum. Down at the bottom of the rib cage are a couple of ribs on each side that connect only to the spine with the forward end unattached, or ‘floating.’ “Floating” ribs are, I assume, connected to other ribs via muscles, etc. Are the particularly prone to breaking or damaging the lungs? ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floating-rib/244559/7 "2004-05-12T04:28:03Z")
> [@drhess](#): > > “Floating” ribs are, I assume, connected to other ribs via muscles, etc. Are the particularly prone to breaking or damaging the lungs? I guess I should reply since you asked in a reply to my original post, but I can’t. You are out of my area of knowledge. I do know that the upper body is segmented in that the pattern of muscles, nereves, blood vessels etc. repeats with each rib. But I don’t know the whole thing is tied together. We have several physicians who have studied anatomy on the board and if you’re patient one of them or someone else who has studied the subject will come along.