Floating Ribs are 4 ribs that are atypical – located lowermost in the ribcage of most humans, and are numbered XI-XII. They are referred to as “floating ribs” since they are fastened to the vertebrae alone and not to the sternum or any cartilage attached to the sternum. Some individuals are missing one of the 2 pairs. Others have a 3rd pair. Most individuals have only the 2 pairs.

Their position may be altered permanently by a type of body alteration called “tightlacing”, which uses a corset type device to compress and then move the ribs.