In the elderly, it can be caused by deterioration of bone, although rare. In children, the majority of flail chest injuries result from common blunt force traumas or metabolic bone diseases, including a group of genetic disorders known as osteogenesis imperfecta. Diagnosis
Diagnosis is by physical examination performed by a physician. The diagnosis may be assisted or confirmed by use of medical imaging with either plain X ray or CT scan. Treatment
Treatment of the flail chest initially follows the principles of advanced trauma life support. Further treatment includes:

Good pain management includes early regional anesthesia (e.g. intercostal blocks or erector spinae plane blocks) and avoiding opioid pain medication as much as possible. This allows much better ventilation, with improved tidal volume, and increased blood oxygenation. Positive pressure ventilation, meticulously adjusting the ventilator settings to avoid pulmonary barotrauma. Chest tubes as required. Adjustment of position to make the person most comfortable and provide relief of pain. Aggressive pulmonary toiletA person may be intubated with a double lumen tracheal tube. In a double lumen endotracheal tube, each lumen may be connected to a different ventilator. Usually one side of the chest is affected more than the other, so each lung may require drastically different pressures and flows to adequately ventilate. Surgical fixation can help in significantly reducing the duration of ventilatory support and in conserving the pulmonary function.
Surgical intervention has also been shown to reduce the need for tracheostomy, reduces the time spent in the intensive care unit following a traumatic flail chest injury and could reduce the risk of acquiring pneumonia after such an event. Physiotherapy
In order to begin a rehabilitation program for a flail chest it is important to treat the persons pain so they are able to perform the proper exercises. Due to the underlying conditions that the flail segment has caused onto the respiratory system, chest physiotherapy is important to reduce further complications. Proper positioning of the body is key, including postural alignment for proper drainage of mucous secretions. The therapy will consist of a variety of postural positioning and changes in order to increase normal breathing. Along with postural repositioning, a variety of breathing exercises are also very important in order to allow the chest wall to reposition itself back to normal conditions. Breathing exercises will also include coughing procedures. Furthermore, range of motion exercises are given to reduce the atrophy of the musculature. With progression, resistance exercises are added to the regimen to the shoulder and arm of the side containing the injury. Moreover, trunk exercises will be introduced while sitting and will progress to during standing. Hip flexion exercises can be done to expand the thorax. This is done by lying supine on a flat surface, flexing the knees and hips and bringing them in toward the chest.