Table 3 Breathing movements (Δ Differences between injured vs. non-injured side) and range of motion

Breathing movements

Δ Upper thorax during rest, mm

0.15 (1.27)

0.10 (0.42)

0.856

Δ Lower thorax during rest, mm

0.13 (1.02)

−0.02 (0.36)

0.451

Δ Abdominally during rest, mm

−0.61 (1.90)

−0.01 (0.77)

0.136

Δ Upper thorax during maximal breathing movements, mm

−0.39 (4.69)

−0.11 (1.91)

0.606

Δ Lower thorax during maximal breathing movements, mm

4.98 (4.67)

−1.19 (2.04)

0.002

Δ Abdominally during maximal breathing movements, mm

−0.41 (4.67)

−0.46 (2.58)

0.398

Thorax excursion

Upper level, cm

5.2 (2.1)

3.7 (1.8)

0.005

Lower level, cm

4.3 (1.92)

4.3 (2.3)

0.944

Range of motion in the thorax

Thoracic flexion, cm

4.0 (1.8)

2.4 (0.8)

<0.001

Thoracic extension, cm

2.5 (1.1)

1.3 (0.5)

<0.001

Lateral flexion towards the injured side, cm

15.9 (5.0)

14.8 (5.6)

0.494

Lateral flexion away from the injured side, cm

15.4 (5.1)

14.8 (5.8)

0.743

Range of motion in the shoulder

Flexion injured side, °

154 (31)

158 (37)

0.747

Flexion non-injured side, °

154 (38)

163 (27)

0.341

Abduction, injured side, °

159 (27)

161 (34)

0.846

Abduction, non-injured side, °

156 (37)

165 (30)

0.373