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26 bones are connected to each other in such a way that results in a flexible, curved
spine form the spinal column. At the base of the column is the sacrum. The sacrum is
comprised of 5 vertebrae that have been fused. Below the sacrum is the coccyx, which is
made of 4 fused vertebrae. The spinal column is divided into 3 parts. The cervical
vertebrae are the first 7 vertebrae down from the skull. The next 12 are the thoracic
vertebrae. The thoracic vertebrae are followed by the lumbar vertebrae, which are the last
5 vertebrae.
Anterior to the spinal column is the sternum and the rib cage. There are 12 pairs of ribs.
The first 7 pairs are true ribs, that is they are attached directly to the sternum. The
rest are false ribs, meaning that they attach to the sternum indirectly or not at all in
the case of the two pairs of floating ribs. The ribs are attached to the sternum by
cartilage. At the inferior end of the sternum is the xiphoid. This serves as an attachment
point for the diaphragm.
 Two bones comprise the shoulder girdle.
They are the clavicle and the scapula. It should be noted that there are two shoulder
girdles, one on each side. The clavicle mainly acts as a brace that holds the scapulae and
the arms up and away from the ribs. The scapulae lie on the posterior side of the rib
cage. The scapula connects the upper arm to the rest of the body. The scapulae are only
attached to the rest of the body by the clavicle. This helps for us to be able to raise
our hands by allowing the scapula to slip forward and back.
The humerus is the only bone in the upper arm. At the end of the humerus is two bones: the
radius and the ulna. These two long bones allow us to twist our hands from side to side.
At the end of the radius and ulna is the carpals or wrist. The carpals are not, however,
where most people think their wrist is. The true wrist, the carpus, is at what most people
consider the base of their hand. The palm of the hand is supported by the metacarpals.
Phalanges make up the fingers. Each finger, with the exception of the thumb, has three
phalanges. The thumb has only two phalanges.
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