Table 5 Comparison of range of motion in the thorax and shoulders, and breathing movements at rest and during maximal breathing, six weeks, six months and one-year post-trauma, in patients managed operatively (Op-group) and non-operatively (NonOp-group) for flail chest injuries

3.3 ± 1.5

4.4 ± 1.4*

3.5 ± 1.6

4.9 ± 2.0*

3.3 ± 1.8

5.1 ± 1.9*

4.0 ± 1.9

4.6 ± 1.4

4.4 ± 2.5

4.9 ± 1.7

4.2 ± 2.5

4.6 ± 1.7

2.2 ± 0.8*

1.3 ± 0.7

1.9 ± 0.9

1.7 ± 1.1

2.0 ± 1.0

1.6 ± 1.0

1.1 ± 0.8

1.4 ± 0.6

1.2 ± 0.7

1.5 ± 1.0

1.1 ± 0.6

1.4 ± 0.8

13.4 ± 5.3

13.7 ± 5.7

13.3 ± 4.8

16.0 ± 4.2*

13.1 ± 6.3

16.7 ± 4.5*

12.8 ± 4.5

14.2 ± 4.8

13.5 ± 4.6

16.8 ± 4.0*

13.8 ± 5.3

17.1 ± 4.5*

134.5 ± 41.2

130.8 ± 45.1

151.5 ± 30.8

159.7 ± 17.4

151.4 ± 32.1

159.5 ± 12.1

156.3 ± 27.1

161.4 ± 12.9

161.0 ± 25.4

164.8 ± 13.5

165.3 ± 20.4

160.3 ± 17.7

132.1 ± 45.8

129.4 ± 43.9

145.8 ± 40.5

159.1 ± 24.5

146.7 ± 33.4

160.2 ± 17.1

152.7 ± 32.8

156.5 ± 20.8

153.8 ± 35.2

165.2 ± 16.3

158.6 ± 29.5

158.8 ± 23.5

50.0 ± 9.8

47.6 ± 8.9

53.2 ± 7.7

54.2 ± 5.7

54.6 ± 6.7

54.4 ± 7.9

83.8 ± 19.8

90.8 ± 18.7

89.8 ± 34.1

98.9 ± 30.1

91.2 ± 25.3

95.5 ± 20.5

90.6 ± 23.1

97.1 ± 31.3

88.3 ± 34.5

96.7 ± 29.7

94.6 ± 33.0

110.3 ± 40.8

89.6 ± 23.8

97.4 ± 13.9

95.1 ± 17.8

98.9 ± 12.3

99.0 ± 36.4

100.1 ± 15.0

85.5 ± 22.0

87.0 ± 13.0

91.7 ± 19.2

99.8 ± 21.6

87.6 ± 21.4

96.0 ± 16.3

92.2 ± 49.9

90.9 ± 20.7

97.0 ± 43.3

98.8 ± 18.9

92.2 ± 37.4

98.4 ± 17.1

92.1 ± 20.3

98.8 ± 17.2

97.6 ± 23.0

103.6 ± 16.8

95.5 ± 20.9

100.6 ± 15.5