The Action of The Internal and External Intercostals

THE ACTION OF THE EXTERNAL INTERCOSTALS
The External Intercostals, like all muscles, work by contracting and getting
shorter. Though there is some debate around exactly how the intercostals work,
the principle is pretty simple. It is important that we think of the ribs like a door
controlled by a spring (which is standing in for the muscle). The ribs hinge at the
spine . They also hinge at the sternum, if you're being really exact, but what is
most important, so far, is to image this mechanical model.
The image above gives you a visual to go along with the model we will be
discussing. The portions of the image which are blue represent where the ribs
and sternum get to on an inhalation. The ribs at rest are in yellow. On the left of
the image is the spine, which serves as the door frame. Theorangy strip
represents an external intercostal muscle fiber connecting two ribs. As the muscle
contracts (the purplish strip) and shortens, it lifts the rib to the blue position. By
raising the ribs, the external intercostal muscles increase lung volume, making a
negative pressure difference. If the throat is open, air will rush into the lungs.
In other words, the extrinsic muscles help with inhalation.
Now, let's see what the intrinsic muscles do...
 The Action of the External Intercostal Muscles

 The Action of The Internal Intercostal Muscles
THE ACTION OF THE INTERNAL INTERCOSTALS

The Internal Intercostals muscles run perpendicularly to the External Intercostal
muscles. It is important to understand that the intercostals in the front, between
the cartilages that connect the rib bones to the sternum, work differently than
those muscles that go between the bones further back. These intercartilaginous
muscles, pull the ribs up, creating a higher lung volume, drawing air into the
lungs. In other words these muscles are inspiratory muscles, just like the
extrinsic muscles. Take a look at the schematic
The portion of the image which is in yellow represents where the sternum is. The
ribs are white. The red bands are the intercartilaginous internal intercostal
muscles (say that fast five times!). As the muscle contracts and shortens, it lifts
the rib. You might compare the direction of these muscles to that of
the transversus thoracis muscles, visible in the image we saw on the first
intercostals page. At this point of the rib, the internal intercostal elevate the ribs
while the transversus thoracis depress them.
On the other hand, the intercostal muscles that are between the boney part of
the ribs, the interosseous internal intercostal muscles, counteract the action of
the external intercostals. That is, when they contract and shorten, the ribs are
brought closer together, creating a positive pressure difference between the lung
air and the outside air. If the throat is open, the air will rush out (it might even
make the vocal folds vibrate - seephonation!). So for the interosseous part...
The internal intercostal muscles are muscles of exhalation!
What are intercostal muscles?

Intercoastal muscles are of two types: External and internal. These are located in betweenthe ribs.
The internalintercoastal muscles is placed inside the ribcase and travels from the rib front , around the
back moving along the ribs’ bend. The external intecoastal muscles which are placed on the outer
surface of the ribcase, moves around ribs back and reach the bony end part of frontal rib. Both the
external as well as the internal intercoastal musclesare each present in pairs of eleven.
How is inspiration and expiration caused in intercoastal muscles?
When there is depression in the diaphragm and simultaneously the ribs get elevated, inspiration by
theintercoastal muscles is caused. The process of expiration is the result of thorax weight,
lung elasticity and slackening of muscles. The special depressor present in the ribs is trinagularis stemi.
How do the internal intercostal muscles work?

The Internal Intercostals muscles are placed perpendicular to the external intercoastal muscles. Both
the internal intercoastal muscles and the external intercoastal muscles work differently. The
internal intercoastal muscles or the intercartilagious muscle stretches the ribs so that they are pulled
up and higher volume for lung is created due to which lungs can breathe in more air. Thus, these
internal muscles perform the function like the extrinsic muscles. During the working, when
the muscles shorten and contract, the rib is lifeted. This working can be compared with the transverses
thoracais muscles. The only thing of difference is the internal intercoastals escalate the ribs whereas the
transverses throacis perform the work of depressing them. This is the working of the
internalintercoastal muscles which are inside the rib cage.
The internal intercoastals which are present in the bony rib part are called as the interosseous
internalintercoastal muscles. These muscles perform the function of counteracting the activity of
external intercoastals. When these muscles shorten or contract, the ribs come closer due to which a
positive air pressure is developed between the lung air and the air present outside. The
internal intercoastal muscles are hence associated with the functioning of exhalation.
How do the external intercoastal muscles work?

The External Intercostals also perform its work by shortening and contracting. When the muscles
contract and shorten, the rib is raised thereby enhancing the lung volume due to which negative
pressure difference is built up. The external intercoastal muscles are known help the lungs with
inhalation.

The Action of The Internal and External Intercostals

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THE ACTION OF THE EXTERNAL INTERCOSTALS

In other words, the extrinsic muscles help with inhalation.

Now, let's see what the intrinsic muscles do...

 The Action of the External Intercostal Muscles

THE ACTION OF THE INTERNAL INTERCOSTALS

The internal intercostal muscles are muscles of exhalation!

What are intercostal muscles?

How do the internal intercostal muscles work?

How do the external intercoastal muscles work?

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