Efficacy of open and closed kinetic chain exercises in knee Osteoarthritis: A comparative analysis

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of OKC and CKC exercises when both were added to hot packs, posterior capsular stretching, basic knee stretching exercises, and TENS in patients with knee OA. Results: Both Group A (OKC exercises) and Group B (CKC exercises) demonstrated significant reductions in pain and disability (p≤0.0001). Intergroup comparisons showed that Group A had significantly lower pain and disability scores than Group B (p≤0.0001). The ANOVA analysis also revealed significant differences in pain (f = 43.84, p ≤ 0.05) and disability (f = 25.57, p≤0.05) between the groups, with Group A showing more significant improvements. Conclusion: The addition of OKC exercises to standard treatments (hot packs, posterior capsular stretching, basic knee stretching exercises, and TENS) resulted in a more significant reduction in pain and disability in individuals with knee OA compared to CKC exercises. Both interventions showed effectiveness, but OKC exercises provided superior outcomes over the 4-weeks period.