Sternum: Anatomy, Function, and Conditions

The sternum (also called the breastbone) is a long, flat bone that protects the underlying muscles, organs, and important arteries within the front and center of the chest. This includes the lungs, heart, and stomach, along with all of their intricate blood vessels, muscles, and cartilage. The thymus sits just behind it. The sternum also acts as a joining structure to the upper ribs on either side of the body. This bone is sometimes cracked during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) because part of the sternum is located directly above the heart. The sternum must be cut through during operations on the heart including open-heart surgery, making the rehabilitation for that procedure more intensive than most others. Anatomy Measuring around 6 inches, the sternum has three main parts: Manubrium: The wide rectangular portion at the topBody: The long and flat part which makes up most of the sternumXiphoid process: A small point at the end of the sternum that's significantly more narrow and...