The hyoid (floating throat bone)
Hyoid bone · os hyoideum
A U-shaped bone in your neck that anchors the tongue and touches no other bone.
What it does
The hyoid sits in your upper neck between the chin and the voice box. It is held in place entirely by muscles and ligaments, which use it as an anchor for the tongue and as a lever to lift the voice box when you swallow and speak.
Surprising fact
The hyoid is the only bone in the body that doesn't form a joint with any other bone, and a broken hyoid is a classic clue for forensic pathologists in cases of strangulation.
Why it matters
Every time you swallow, muscles tug the hyoid up and forward to help close off the airway. You can feel it move if you rest your fingers above your Adam's apple and swallow.
Nearby
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Sources
Drafted with AI help; awaiting a human fact-check against these sources.
Open in the 3D atlas · Suggest a correction · Not medical advice.
3D models: Z-Anatomy & BodyParts3D (CC BY-SA 4.0 / 2.1 JP). Card text CC BY 4.0.