The rib cage may also be called a thoracic cage. It has twenty-four bones known as the ribs. The ribs are curved around the chest. A human rib cage has twelve thoracics. The top seven pairs attach themselves to the sternum by cartilage; they are the true ribs (Starr, Beverly 93). True ribs allow movement of the rib cage due to their elasticity. This is very important in the breathing process. The ribs are structured to form a cage-like casing about the lungs. The rib cage is both cartilaginous and bonny in structure. There is a false rib, which lies between the eighth and the twelfth rib. These ribs join the higher ribs and the costal cartilages. The rib cage is composed of the vertebrae, the sternum, twenty-four ribs, and costal cartilages. It is a major constituent of the thoracic wall. The vital role of the rib cage is to offer protection to the delicate internal organs like the heart. It forms a barricade hence preventing damage to delicate internal organs. The sternum, a very tough bone, is on top of the heart offering the most fortification (Starr, Beverly 93). The rib cage is a cavity in which the lungs enlarge for breathing. The muscles in between the ribs contract and relax lifting the ribcage up and down; this allows for breathing in and out.
The pelvic bone is present in most vertebrates. It is composed of connective tissue, muscles and bone that lay the basis of the legs, lower extremities and hold up the pelvic and abdominal cavities. The pelvis skeleton is a large, bone structure, bilaterally symmetrical structure. It consists of the coccyx, os coxa and the sacrum. The top, frontward component of the pelvis, is the pelvis inlet. There is a gap in the middle of the pelvic girdle. The major function of the pelvis is carrying the weight of the upper body. It is the point of attachment of the locomotion and posture muscles (Starr, Beverly 94). The pelvis can also function in the protection of the internal reproductive organs and the urinary tracts. It also provides point of attachment of the reproductive organs.
There are numerous ribcage injuries; some of them are bruises, fractures, and frayed cartilage. Bruises occur when the soft tissue is injured. Rib fracture happens if a big force is applied to it. The elderly can easily suffer from rib breakage. This is because bones reduce in size with age. Children’s bones are very flexible and very resistant to bone fracture. Flail chest is a widespread and severe rib injury. This happens when bones are broken at the back and front of the rib cage. This results in paradoxical movement, where natural ribcage movement is reversed. These reversed movements cause injuries to the lungs. This is addressed by intubation, which normalizes lung pressure (Starr, Beverly 99).
Pelvic Girdle Pain is joint pain in the pelvis. The individual also experiences joint mobility problems. It is common in pregnant women. The symptoms vary from mild uneasiness to serious pain with problems in mobility. This is caused by trauma in the pelvis and hyper-mobility. This pain can also result from the change of the sitting position of a baby in the womb may also contribute to this problem (Starr, Beverly 99).
A synovial joint is a most movable and most common joint in the mammalian body. Movement in the joint is made possible at the junction of the articulating bones. The space between two bones containing synovial fluid is the synovial cavity (Starr, Beverly 96). Articular capsule brings together the combining bones. It is sensitive to movements and stretches due to the presence of numerous supplies of nerves (Starr, Beverly 96). Synovial fluid is secreted by the synovial membrane. Its function is to offer lubrication to the joint. The shoulder joint is a good example of a synovial joint.
Flexion results when the joint angles are reduced. Extension happens when the joint angles increase. A flexed position of joint results from the combined effort of the tendons and muscles systems (Starr, Beverly 96). For example, to flex an elbow, the hand has to move nearer to the shoulder. A flexion and an extension that take place along are a specific plane.
Works Cited
Starr, Cecie, and Beverly McMillan. Human Biology. 9th ed. Stamford, Connecticut, U.S.: Cengage Learning. 2012. Print.