Floating rib: Definition and anatomy (associated pathologies)

Article reviewed and approved by Dr. Ibtissama Boukas, physician specializing in family medicine 

What is a floating rib? Can it be responsible for pain, or even back pain?

This article explains everything you need to know about this component of the rib cage.

Definition of a floating coast

In most people, there are 12 pairs of ribs in the rib cage. They are made up like this:

• The “real” ribs: The first seven ribs are attached to the sternum, a vertical bone in the middle of the chest
• The "false" ribs: The lower five ribs are not directly connected to the sternum, and are called false ribs.
  Rather, the three upper false ribs are connected to the costal cartilages of the ribs just above them.
• Floating ribs: last two false ribs generally have no attachment. They are called floating ribs because of their lack of anchorage in the rib cage.

In short, a floating rib is a rib that does not attach to the sternum or another rib, and which constitutes one of the last 2 ribs. Its attachment is at the back of the rib cage, at the level of a dorsal vertebra.

Pathologies related to floating ribs

Due to their anatomical arrangement, more specifically their lack of attachment, these ribs are more prone to injury. Here is a list of conditions associated with floating ribs:

• Rib fracture
• Cyriax Syndrome