Anatom3DLeft first rib
Costa prima sinistra · Levé první žebro
Skeleton
Looks like
The shortest, flattest and most curved rib, lying under the collarbone at the top of the chest.
What it does
Forms the rim of the upper chest opening; the main artery, vein and nerves to the arm cross over it.
Keeping it well
It breaks only with major force, which warns of injury to the vessels near it. Pressure on nerves or vessels here causes thoracic outlet syndrome.
Related conditions
- Acromegaly
- Fractures
- Fragility fracture
- Frailty & falls in older age
- Hyperparathyroidism
- Osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease)
- Osteomalacia & rickets
- Osteomyelitis (bone infection)
- Osteoporosis
- Paget's disease of bone
- Pleural effusion
- Pneumothorax
- Sarcoma
- Vitamin B1, C and other deficiencies
- Vitamin D deficiency