Contact study of the hip joint. Load-deformation pattern, contact area and contact pressure.

Contact study of the human hip joint was performed in order to understand load-deformation pattern under compressive loading, contact area and contact pressure by our method. Weight-bearing function of the hip joint was confirmed. Deformation of articular cartilage and subchondral bone were made reasonably and joint congruity was considered to be obtained with increasing load. Neither contact area nor distribution of the contact pressure were symmetrical or concentric, and both were dependent on the magnitude of load. The relationship between weight-bearing and early cartilage degeneration was discussed.