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First rib: anatomy, location and function

The first rib. Usually the shortest, and the broadest and most strongly curved rib, flat from top to bottom. Protects the thoracic organs and, by moving at its vertebral joints, changes chest volume during breathing.

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Structures

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Highlighted in the model: First rib. Click any part to read about it, or switch off “Highlight topic” to see the whole body. 3D data: BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science, CC BY 4.0; meshes simplified and recoloured. The model is an adult male.

First rib at a glance

Also called
Rib 1
What it is
The first rib. Usually the shortest, and the broadest and most strongly curved rib, flat from top to bottom.
Location
Part of the thoracic cage, curving from the first thoracic vertebra behind around the chest wall toward the front. A true (vertebrosternal) rib.
Function
Protects the thoracic organs and, by moving at its vertebral joints, changes chest volume during breathing.
Body system
Skeletal · paired (left and right)
FMA ID
FMA7987 (Foundational Model of Anatomy)

Key facts

  • Has a scalene tubercle where scalenus anterior attaches, between grooves for the subclavian vein (front) and subclavian artery and lower trunk of the brachial plexus (behind).
  • Its head has a single facet for T1 only; its cartilage attaches directly to the manubrium.

Clinical relevance

Fracture is uncommon because the rib is well protected, so it indicates severe trauma and can injure the subclavian vessels or brachial plexus. Narrowing of the space between it and the clavicle, or a cervical rib, can cause thoracic outlet syndrome.

Structures next to the first rib

The nearest named structures in the 3D model, measured from the centre of each part:

References

  1. Foundational Model of Anatomy: First rib (FMA7987). EMBL-EBI Ontology Lookup Service.
  2. OpenStax. Anatomy and Physiology 2e, §7.1 Divisions of the Skeletal System. Rice University, 2022.
  3. Mitsuhashi N. et al. (2009). BodyParts3D: 3D structure database for anatomical concepts. Nucleic Acids Research 37, D782–D785. Data © The Database Center for Life Science, CC BY 4.0.

Related anatomy

Explore the whole body in the interactive 3D human anatomy model, or browse the A–Z list of human structures.