Effects of hip osteoarthritis on mechanical stimulation of trabecular bone: a finite element study

This paper provides evidence that the onset and development of osteoarthritis can redistribute the loads over the joint and subsequently alter the mechanism of bone resorption or deposition, leading to the formation of cysts (geodes), ivory-like areas (eburnation), or both. A two-dimensional model of the proximal half of the human femur was implemented from X-ray images. Finite element analysis was performed for four scenarios with normal and altered loading of the femoral head. Strain, maximum principal strain, and strain energy density (SED) were computed and their distributions were analyzed. The results show that osteoarthritis is associated with marked abnormal remodeling conditions. In particular, the low-SED areas in trabecular bone can experience bone resorption with a subsequent formation of geodes, whereas overstimulation at the interface between trabecular and subchondral bone can result in anomalously high bone deposition.