The body of which vertebra is rotated away from the rib head in the described technique?

The body of which vertebra is rotated away from the rib head in the described technique?

• A. T1
• B. T2
• C. T3
• D. T4

Answer: (A)

The key idea is how the rib head connects to the spine at the costovertebral joints. For most ribs, the head of the rib articulates with two adjacent vertebral bodies—the same-number vertebra and the one above. In a technique that involves rotating the vertebral body away from the rib head to release the joint, you target the vertebral body that forms that articulation. The first rib is special: its head only articulates with the body of the first thoracic vertebra (T1); there isn’t a vertebra above to share the articulation. Therefore, the vertebral body that would rotate away from the rib head in this scenario is the body of T1.

The key idea is how the rib head connects to the spine at the costovertebral joints. For most ribs, the head of the rib articulates with two adjacent vertebral bodies—the same-number vertebra and the one above. In a technique that involves rotating the vertebral body away from the rib head to release the joint, you target the vertebral body that forms that articulation.

The first rib is special: its head only articulates with the body of the first thoracic vertebra (T1); there isn’t a vertebra above to share the articulation. Therefore, the vertebral body that would rotate away from the rib head in this scenario is the body of T1.