A biomechanical approach for dynamic hip joint analysis

Abstract

Hip osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common forms of musculoskeletal disorders. Although different factors have been identified as potential causes of the labral tear and cartilage degeneration, the exact pathogenesis for idiopathic OA is still not completely delineated. Given the crucial role of the mechanical behavior in the degenerative process, analyzing the contact mechanics in the articular layers during activities could contribute to the understanding of the pathology. This paper presents subject-specific and non-invasive methods which jointly encompass anatomy, kinematics and dynamics. This unique combination offers new ways to individualize the diagnostic by using a physically-based simulation of articular layers during motion. The simulation results showed that strong deformations and peak stresses were observed in extreme hip postures. Medical experts correlated these simulation findings with the locations of detected abnormalities. These observations strongly suggest that extreme and repetitive stresses within the joint could lead to early hip OA.