To assess the impact of Open kinetic chain and closed kinetic chain exercise in rehabilitation following anterior Cruciate ligament reconstruction

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is one of the most common and serious sport injuries affecting non-professional and professional athletes. Approximately 100,000 ACL Reconstructions are conducted annually in the United States. Also, some authors have documented that the number of the incidence of isolated anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears in the general population is not well defined.The treatment of ACL injury can be conservative or arthroscopy reconstruction with post-op rehabilitation depending on the grades of injury. The post-op rehabilitation involves open kinetic chain (OKC) and Close kinetic chain (CKC) exercises. Open kinetic chain (OKC) exercises are lower limb activities where the distal segment of the limb is free to move and primarily focus on isolated strengthening of specific muscles or muscle groups. On the other hand, closed chain exercises involve movements where the distal end of the limb is fixed or in contact with a surface. They mimic functional activities. They have been found to be more effective in restoring quadriceps muscle strength after ACL reconstruction surgery.

 There is no consensus among the existing published evidence that whether closed kinetic chain (CKC) or open kinetic chain (OKC) exercises should be the intervention of choice following an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)  reconstruction. Many physiotherapists strongly believe that OKC exercises exert greater strain on the ACL and the patellofemoral joint than CKC exercises. But this opinion appears to be based more on opinion than on data. The purpose of the above study is to determine the impact of Open and Closed kinetic chain exercises on post-op rehabilitation of ACL reconstruction.