OET Vocabulary, Word of the Day
Infrasternal Angle – Meaning and Usage in Medical English
Nov
👁 What Does “Infrasternal Angle” Mean?
The infrasternal angle is the angle formed where the lower ribs meet just beneath the sternum.
The term comes from Latin roots: infra meaning “below,” and sternum, the breastbone of the chest.
In medicine, it is used mainly in anatomy teaching and physical examination to describe the shape of the lower chest (rib cage).
This angle can vary between individuals and may change depending on physique, posture, or respiratory conditions.
🔍 Clinical Usage
In everyday clinical practice, the infrasternal angle appears mainly in physical examination notes, clinician training materials, and anatomy or respiratory assessment guides.
It is not a word patients usually use themselves, but it is common among doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals when describing chest configuration.
Healthcare professionals assess the infrasternal angle during chest inspection — especially when evaluating:
- Thoracic shape (e.g., narrow vs wide chest)
- Respiratory conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or restrictive lung disease
- Postural changes affecting rib cage movement
- Developmental or body type differences (for example, a wider angle in athletes or during pregnancy)
The angle is created by the costal margins — the lower borders of the rib cage — and is usually measured visually rather than with a device.
A more acute (narrow) angle is often seen in slender individuals, while an obtuse (broader) angle may appear in people with barrel chest or increased lung volumes, as seen in some chronic lung conditions.
There are no widely used abbreviations for this term; clinicians usually write it out fully as “infrasternal angle.”
It may appear together with phrases such as:
- “widened infrasternal angle”
- “narrow infrasternal angle”
- “normal infrasternal angle on inspection”
Clinical example
“The patient shows a widened infrasternal angle consistent with chronic lung hyperinflation.”
→ The chest angle is broadened, suggesting long-term changes from respiratory disease.
This type of wording is common in physical exam documentation and teaching discussions rather than in patient-facing communication.
🎥 Watch the Short Video
👉 Watch our 20-second clip: Infrasternal Angle – Learn how to pronounce it and remember how it’s used in real medical English.
🌍 Study with OET Bank
Strong English skills are essential for success in healthcare communication.
At OET Bank, we strengthen your medical English through our original learning materials,
designed specifically for international healthcare professionals who want to use English confidently in real clinical settings.
👉 Discover OET Bank learning materials
https://oet-bank.com/shop/
