Fitness
Open-Chain Knee Exercise
Open-chain knee exercise moves the foot freely—often delayed early in ACL rehab because deep knee extension can increase graft shear until cleared.
Open-chain knee exercise moves the shin freely—seated knee extension, straight-leg raises, and hamstring curls—creating more anterior tibial shear at deeper angles, so ACL protocols often delay heavy seated extension early after reconstruction. Light terminal extension and short-arc work may still appear when prescribed.
Later phases reintroduce open-chain for isolated strength once graft strength and symmetry allow. Do not self-add maximal leg extensions because they feel easy.
Common questions
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Are leg extensions forbidden forever after ACL surgery?
No—many programs reintroduce them later with controlled range and load. Early heavy open-chain extension is what protocols typically restrict, not all open-chain work.
Related terms
Put Open-Chain Knee Exercise into practice
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