Yes, ribs do change with age, but not in the way you might think.
While ribs don't grow in length after puberty in the way bones do during childhood, the overall dimensions of the rib cage do change throughout life. These changes are primarily in the anterior-posterior (front to back) and lateral (side to side) dimensions.
How Rib Cage Dimensions Change With Age
| Age Range | Description of Change |
|---|---|
| Infancy to Childhood | Thoracic index decreases |
| Childhood to Age 30 | Thoracic index increases |
| Age 30 to 60 | Rib cage dimensions (anterior-posterior and lateral) increase slightly |
| Age 60+ | Rib cage dimensions (anterior-posterior and lateral) decrease |
- Early Life: The thoracic index, which reflects the shape of the rib cage, decreases from infancy through early childhood. Then, it starts to increase up to around age 30.
- Adulthood: According to the provided reference, after age 30, the rib cage dimensions become more constant. However, there's still a little bit of change.
- Between ages 30 and 60, there is a slight increase in both the front-to-back and side-to-side dimensions of the rib cage.
- After age 60, these dimensions begin to decrease.
Key Takeaways
- Ribs themselves do not grow longer after adolescence.
- The rib cage dimensions are dynamic and change across the lifespan.
- There is slight expansion of the rib cage from age 30 to 60.
- There is a subsequent reduction in rib cage dimensions after age 60.
