Assessment of the contact stress distribution dependent on functional and design parameters after total hip arthroplasty

Abstract

A numerical model was developed to assess the contact stress distribution in total hip prosthesis as a function of geometrical parameters such as the clearance between the bearing surfaces, the inclination and thickness of the UHMWPE cup. The contact stress distribution model proposed is submitted to static loading considering the maximal force during gait and jogging. The results shows that the magnitude of the maximal contact stress remains constant for inclination values in the range of [0-35°] and increase significantly with the cup clearance and liner thickness for inclination values in the range of [35°-65°]. This model could be improved by considering other factors such as friction and dynamic loading conditions. This approach would permit to bring new perspectives for studying the long-term behaviour of total hip prostheses.