Closed kinetic chain exercises

Closed kinetic chain exercises or closed chain exercises (CKC) are physical exercises performed where the hand (for arm movement) or foot (for leg movement) is fixed in space and cannot move. The extremity remains in constant contact with the immobile surface, usually the ground or the base of a machine.

The opposite of CKC exercises are open kinetic chain exercises (OKC).

Closed chain exercises are often compound movements, that generally incur compressive forces, while open-chain exercises are often isolation movements that promote more shearing forces.[1]

CKC exercises involve more than one muscle group and joint simultaneously rather than concentrating solely on one, as many OKC exercises do (single-joint movements), lending the former to more utilitarian and athletic activities.[2][3]

  1. ^ Graham, V. L.; Gehlsen, G. M.; Edwards, J. A. (1993). "Electromyographic evaluation of closed and open kinetic chain knee rehabilitation exercises". J Athl Train. 28 (1): 23–30. PMC 1317886. PMID 16558199.
  2. ^ Blackburn, J. R.; Morrissey, M. C. (1998). "The relationship between open and closed kinetic chain strength of the lower limb and jumping performance". J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 27 (6): 430–5. doi:10.2519/jospt.1998.27.6.430. PMID 9617729.
  3. ^ Prokopy, M. P.; Ingersoll, C. D.; Nordenschild, E.; Katch, F. I.; Gaesser, G. A.; Weltman, A. (2008). "Closed-kinetic chain upper-body training improves throwing performance of NCAA Division I softball players". J Strength Cond Res. 22 (6): 1790–8. doi:10.1519/JSC.0b013e318185f637. PMID 18978626. S2CID 14111109.