🦴 Sternum
Brian Lee
Jul 01, 2025
Reviewed
Summary
The sternum forms the front of the rib cage and anchors the
ribs and clavicles at the body’s midline. It consists of three
fused segments:
- Manubrium – the upper portion bearing the
jugular notch and articulating with the clavicles.
- Body (Gladiolus) – the elongated middle
portion where ribs 2–7 attach via costal cartilage.
- Xiphoid Process – the small inferior
tip.
Together these parts create a flat surface that marks the
center of the thorax and serves as a reference plane for the
chest muscles.
Illustrations
Anatomography,
CC
BY-SA 2.1 JP, via Wikimedia Commons- Manubrium (green)
- Body (blue)
- Xiphoid process (purple)
Muscles
Origins
- 💪
Pectoralis Major (sternocostal head): Anterior surface of
the sternum
- 💪
Sternocleidomastoid: Manubrium of the sternum (sternal head)
Other deep muscles also originate from the sternum, but they
are typically not relevant in artistic anatomy.
Insertions
None of these muscles insert on the sternum; it serves as an
origin point only.
References
