Closed-chain rehabilitation for postinjury, postsurgical rehab.

During any exercise regimen, two types of kinetic chain exercises are used. The first is open kinetic chain exercises (OKC). These exercises are typically performed where the foot is free to move, and non-weight-bearing, with the movement occurring at the knee joint. Examples of these exercises would be knee extensions and straight leg raises.

The second exercise is closed kinetic chain exercise (CKC). CKC exercises are performed where the foot is fixed and cannot move. The foot remains in contact with the surface, usually the ground or the base of a machine. These typically weight-bearing exercises allow an athlete or patient to use their own body weight and/or external weight. External weight is usually rested across the back of the shoulders or the front of the chest. Examples would include squat, leg press and lateral step-ups. CKC exercises are often called “sport-specific movements.” CKC exercise is not new or state-of-the-art. It has recently enjoyed a resurgence of popularity thanks to exciting research confirming its effectiveness in rehabilitation, sport conditioning and injury prevention.

With CKC exercise, the extremity is placed in a functional position, allowing the musculature optimal opportunity to be recruited in the manner in which it will be used. Although this does not guarantee that the shear forces on the joints will be eliminated, it does encourage co-contractions to occur around the joint, which should enable a protective stiffening of the functional extremity. Benefits derived from this form of exercise are extremely valuable for coordinated muscle action and joint receptor function. Recent evidence has suggested that closed-chain exercises are safer and have better results after ACL reconstruction.

At Jim Wampler Rehab, we do whatever it takes to return people of all ages to their regular activities after injury or surgery. We have worked with thousands of people from all walks of life. Our goal is to rehabilitate each patient without chance of reinjury – or injury to other body parts.

We offer expert rehab services designed to get people back to their lives in a timely manner after injury or surgery. We’ve seen and helped numerous people who have had total joint replacements of the hips and/or knees.

We go beyond traditional physical therapy by developing a customized rehab program based on each person’s specific condition and their specific injury or type of surgery. Our goal is helping them maximize function and prevent reinjury.

Our secondary goal is to help people condition for life. This can include the creation of a personalized, progressive balance training program and/or functional strength training program, which can also lead to improvements in range of motion and balance.