Investigating the use of a breathing device in older people with broken ribs

This study is looking for people who are 65 years old or older and have recently come to the Emergency Department with a chest injury, specifically broken ribs confirmed by scans. You would need to be well enough to be admitted to the hospital for care.

To join, you also need to be able to understand the study and agree to take part, or have a family member or legal guardian who can help you with this if needed, and who can support you in using the breathing device.

However, you might not be able to join if you have certain other serious injuries (like facial injuries or severe burns on both hands) that would make using the device difficult, or if your breathing is severely affected (very low oxygen levels). People who are on a breathing machine (intubated) or have certain unstable heart conditions, or have had recent eye, inner ear, or brain surgery, also wouldn't be able to take part.

If you decide to take part, you'll be put into one of two groups by chance, like flipping a coin. Both groups will get the usual care you would expect in hospital for broken ribs, including being taught breathing exercises by nurses or therapists. One group will also receive the special breathing device (incentive spirometer).

If you're in the group with the device, you'll be asked to try and use it regularly throughout the day, especially for the first three days after you come into the hospital. We will ask your permission (or your carer's permission) to look at your hospital notes to see how you are recovering. We will be checking to see if people who use the device have fewer problems, like chest infections, during the first five days of their hospital stay. Everyone in the study will also be asked to fill out some questionnaires to tell us about their recovery and how they feel. This study will take place during your hospital stay for broken ribs.