Hip Joint Biomechanics of Stair Ascent and Descent: A Comparison of Resurfacing and Stemmed Arthroplasty

J.A. Wells, A.C. Nicol, R. Ingram, and A.D. Stark (UK)

Keywords

Kinematics, kinetics, resurfacing, stair ascent and descent.

Abstract

Resurfacing B arthroplasty B is B becoming B an B increasingly popular option for hip joint replacement. Potential benefits include a greater range of hip motion, resulting from the large diameter bearings, and improved abductor muscle function, resulting from preservation of the femoral neck offset. There is a lack of literature concerning objective functional outcomes after resurfacing arthroplasty compared to the traditional stemmed total hip replacement. Gait analysis studies have shown little evidence to support one arthroplasty type over the other. Kinematic and kinetic outcomes were evaluated for fourteen individuals with resurfacing arthroplasty or standard stemmed total hip replacement during stair climbing. Greater peak hip angles were achieved by the stemmed total hip replacement group. The reduction of peak hip moments was greater for the stemmed arthroplasty group during ascent but greater for the resurfacing group during descent. Stair climbing highlighted greater differences in biomechanical outcomes between the groups than gait analysis due to the greater level of difficulty of the task. The greater diameter bearings of the resurfacing prosthesis do not appear to yield a greater range of motion post-operatively. The standard stemmed arthroplasty performed slightly better than the resurfacing arthroplasty.

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