Where the first rib sits in the skeleton
The first rib is the 1st of the twelve pairs of ribs forming the rib cage. Its back end articulates with the thoracic vertebrae. It is a true rib: its front end joins the sternum directly through its own costal cartilage. The ribs surround the heart and lungs and move with breathing. It is the broadest and most curved of the ribs, with its flat surfaces facing up and down. The subclavian vein crosses its upper surface in front of the scalene tubercle and the subclavian artery in a groove behind it, and its head meets only the first thoracic vertebra.
Frequently asked questions
Which part of the skeleton is the first rib in?
The first rib is one of the bones of the rib cage. Twelve pairs of ribs form the rib cage around the heart and lungs.
How many ribs are there?
There are twelve pairs of ribs, 24 in all. Ribs 1 to 7 are true ribs, ribs 8 to 10 are false ribs, and ribs 11 and 12 are floating ribs.
What lies above and below the 1st rib?
It is the highest rib, with the 2nd rib below it. At the back it articulates with the thoracic vertebrae.
What crosses the top of the first rib?
The subclavian vein and the subclavian artery. Between them the anterior scalene muscle attaches to the scalene tubercle.
Other ribs
- Second rib
- Third rib
- Fourth rib
- Fifth rib
- Sixth rib
- Seventh rib
- Eighth rib
- Ninth rib
- Tenth rib
- Eleventh rib
- Twelfth rib
Joints of the first rib
Compare with similar bones
Bone counts
By region
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