Open packed position is characterized by which of the following?

• A. Open is least contact and most slack
• B. Open is most contact and least slack
• C. Open is moderate contact and slack
• D. Open is maximum friction

Answer: (A)

Open-packed (loose-packed) position is the joint state where the capsule and ligaments are slack and the articular surfaces are not in close contact, giving the joint the greatest amount of freedom and the most joint play. This is why the best description is that open-packed means least contact between surfaces and the joint is most lax. In contrast, the closed-packed position has the surfaces maximally congruent and the ligaments taut, with minimal joint space and maximal stability. The other statements don’t fit because they imply more surface contact or reference friction rather than the slack, loose-fitting state that defines open-packed.