Do men really have one less rib?

The fact that men have one less rib than women has always been controversial, especially in the Middle Ages, when most people believed that men have one less rib. In fact, this statement is incorrect, because as early as the 20th century, experts had proved that men's ribs are the same. If men really have one less rib, their normal life would be affected. Here is some relevant knowledge about men having one less rib.

In fact, people (men and women) have 12 pairs of ribs, which are symmetrical on both sides. The back end is connected to the thoracic vertebrae, and only the 1st to 7th ribs are connected to the sternum by cartilage, which are called true ribs; the 8th to 12th ribs are called false ribs, of which the 8th to 10th ribs are connected to the cartilage of the upper rib by costal cartilage to form a rib arch, and the front ends of the 11th and 12th ribs are free, also known as floating ribs. It belongs to flat bones. Rib, a bone name. Commonly known as rib forks, there are 12 on each side, the back end is connected to the thoracic vertebrae, the front ends of the upper five are connected to the sternum; the front ends of the middle five are fused into one and connected to the sternum; the front ends of the lower two are free, and together they form the thorax. It also refers to the horizontal components of the ship's skeleton from the keel to the deck that support the hull.

Form

The general shape of the ribs: the rear end is slightly bulging, called the rib head, and the articular surface forms an articulation with the costal concave of the thoracic vertebrae. From the rib head, it becomes thinner and thinner, called the rib neck, and then flattens outward to form the rib body. The posterior protrusion where the neck and body meet is called the costal tubercle, and the articular surface articulates with the costal concave of the transverse process of the thoracic vertebrae. The turning point where the rib body turns outward to forward is called the costal angle. The inner surface of the lower edge of the rib body has a costal groove for nerves and blood vessels to pass through. The front end of the rib body is rough and connected to the costal cartilage. The costal cartilage is transparent cartilage and articulates with the lateral edge of the sternum.

The first rib is short and curved, with the head and neck slightly lower than the body. The rib body is flat and can be divided into upper and lower surfaces and inner and outer edges. On the inner edge of the upper side, there is an anterior scalene muscle tubercle formed by the attachment of the anterior scalene muscle. There are shallow grooves in front and back of the tubercle, which are the pressure marks of the subclavian vein and subclavian artery. There is no costal groove below, and the front end is directly connected to the sternum by the costal cartilage. The second rib is slightly longer than the first rib and is more similar to a normal rib. The 11th and 12th ribs have no costal tubercle, costal neck and costal angle. The body is straight and short, the end is blunt and round, and the costal cartilage does not ossify throughout life.