Skull · Irregular bone
Ear Ossicles (Malleus, Incus, Stapes)
The ear ossicles are three tiny bones in the middle ear — the malleus (hammer), incus (anvil) and stapes (stirrup). They pass sound vibrations to the inner ear and include the smallest bone in the body.
What it is
The ossicles are a chain of three minuscule bones inside the middle ear, connected in sequence.
Where it is
Inside the middle ear, within the temporal bone, on each side.
What it does
Transmit and amplify sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear, where they are turned into nerve signals for hearing.
When things go wrong
Common injuries and conditions
- Otosclerosis (stiffening around the stapes, causing hearing loss)
- Damage from chronic ear infection
Education and reference only. This explains the anatomy in plain terms; it is not a diagnosis. A severe injury, a visibly deformed limb, or the inability to move or bear weight needs urgent assessment — call 999 or go to A&E for a serious injury.
Did you know?
An interesting fact
The stapes (stirrup) is the smallest bone in the human body — about the size of a grain of rice.
Answers
Ear Ossicles: frequently asked questions
What is the smallest bone in the body?
The stapes (stirrup) in the middle ear is the smallest bone in the human body, one of the three ear ossicles that carry sound to the inner ear.
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Related bones
Sources
Where this is drawn from
- NHS — Anatomy and body systems
- Gray's Anatomy for Students (Drake, Vogl, Mitchell)
- TeachMeAnatomy — skeletal system
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