If you damaged your intercostal muscles which process would be seriously impaired?

Answer 1

There are three layers of intercostal muscles: the External Intercosals, the Internal Intercostals and the Innermost Intercostals. These muscles are the one found between the Ribs in the ribcage and all are innervated by coastal nerves. At rest these particular muscles have very little function it is only during Forced Respiration (forced breathing not the cellular kind of respiration) that they come into action. During Forced Inspiration the Diaphragm pulls down as normal but to maximise increase the size of the Thoracic Cavity and suck in extra air the the external intercostals are activated. These muscles pull the ribs up and forwards. During normal expiration the elasticity of the lungs themsevels as well as action from the abdominal muscles shrink the thoracic cavity pushing the used air out again. This is not fast enough however for exercising, where forced expiration is required. Here the internal and innermost intercostals pull the ribs down and back compressing the thoracic cavity and forcefull (as aposed to passively) push the air out. Damage to any layer of the intercostal muscles is likely to make breathing during exercise much harder and less efficient.