Open vs. Closed Kinetic Chain Exercise After ACL Reconstruction

Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants who work with patients recovering from ACL injury or ACL reconstruction in outpatient, hospital, or sports rehabilitation settings.

Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants

Intended audience

Physical Therapy

Level

Introductory

Delivery format

Online, asynchronous, self-paced course: interactive reading with audio or video, and a scored post-test.

Based on

This course draws on a single open-access source, and every finding, number, and conclusion presented here traces back to it. No outside claims have been added.

Pamboris GM, Pavlou K, Paraskevopoulos E, Mohagheghi AA. Effect of open vs. closed kinetic chain exercises in ACL rehabilitation on knee joint pain, laxity, extensor muscles strength, and function: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. Published 03 June 2024. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2024.1416690. Review protocol registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023475230). Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution License.

After completing this course, you will be able to:

1. Describe the population, comparisons, and outcomes examined in this systematic review of open versus closed kinetic chain exercise after ACL injury and reconstruction.
2. State the review's findings for quadriceps strength, knee laxity, pain, and self-reported function, along with how certain the authors judged that evidence to be.
3. Explain the limitations the authors identified and the cautions they attached to their conclusions.

1. Start Here: How This Course Works
2. Podcast: Open vs. Closed Chain After ACL Reconstruction (about nine minutes)
3. The Open Chain Debate and What This Review Set Out to Examine
4. How the Reviewers Gathered, Pooled, and Graded the Trials
5. What the Nine Trials Showed: Strength, Laxity, Pain, and Function
6. Where the Evidence Falls Short: Bias, Certainty, and Missing Data
7. What the Authors Concluded and How Cautiously They Said It
8. Key Takeaways
9. Post-Test and Course Evaluation

Quinn Millington, PT, DPT, ECS is the instructor of record: the licensed clinician who reviewed this course and signed off on it. The name and credentials print on the certificate.

Disclosures. This course was developed by The ConEd Solution, which has a financial interest in its sale. No outside funding or sponsorship was received. The instructor of record has no affiliation with the authors of the source publication or their institutions.

This course awards 0.5 contact hours (30 min). How you earn them:

1. Complete the course. Every lesson, in order.
2. Pass the post-test. Score 80% or higher. Retakes are allowed.
3. Complete the evaluation. A short form rating each learning objective and the course.
4. Download your certificate. It is issued on completion and stays available in My Account.

The episode time is its measured length. Reading, post-test and evaluation times are estimates.

This course is designed to satisfy the quality requirements state boards set for continuing education. Requirements vary by state, and confirming that a course fits your renewal is up to you. Each state’s own acceptance statement is in the credit panel on this page.

1. This course draws on a single open-access source, and every finding, number, and conclusion presented here traces back to it. No outside claims have been added.
2. Pamboris GM, Pavlou K, Paraskevopoulos E, Mohagheghi AA. Effect of open vs. closed kinetic chain exercises in ACL rehabilitation on knee joint pain, laxity, extensor muscles strength, and function: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living. Published 03 June 2024. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2024.1416690. Review protocol registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023475230). Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution License.