A closed kinetic chain exercise is one in which your foot or arm maintains continual contact with the floor or exercise machine. In comparison, open kinetic chain exercises might improve strength and knee torque. While a combination of both closed and open kinetic chain exercises can be used, closed kinetic chain exercises offer specific benefits for anterior cruciate ligament rehabilitation.
What Is the ACL?
The ACL is one of four ligaments in the knee that improves knee stability. Specifically, the ACL prevents the tibia, or shinbone, from sliding too far forward underneath the femur. In addition, the ACL provides stability when you perform twisting or pivoting motions with your knee. Therefore, healing an ACL will improve knee stability, which is most important for active exercisers and athletes.
ACL Rehabilitation
ACL rehabilitation can take a few weeks to many months to complete depending on the severity of the injury. In more severe cases, surgery to repair or replace the ACL ligament might be necessary. In less severe cases, rest and rehab may be sufficient. Rehabilitation involves frequent icing, elevation of the knee, the use of crutches or a walking boot, a knee brace, stretching and rehabilitation exercises. Patience and commitment to a rehabilitation program is instrumental in promoting a full recovery from an ACL injury.
To Reduce Knee Stress
According to a January 1993 article in the American Journal of Sports Medicine, closed kinetic chain exercises offer less stress on the knee than open kinetic chain exercises. In this study, the degree of movement of the shinbone over the femur was measured when performing a squat. The degree of displacement when performing the squat was found to be less than when performing a leg extension exercise, which is an open kinetic chain exercise. The ACL was not stretched as much because of the comparatively smaller degree of displacement. Therefore, squats might be more beneficial early in a rehabilitation program when the ACL is most susceptible to re-injury.
To Improve Function
Closed kinetic chain exercises can be more specific than open chain kinetic exercises in improving function. According to a December 1997 article in the journal Physical Therapy, closed kinetic chain exercises are weight-bearing in nature and might provide more benefit in strengthening muscles involved in daily activities, such as standing and walking. Therefore, if the rehabilitation goal is to improve knee stability and strength only enough to complete activities of daily living, then closed kinetic chain exercises are preferred.
