Introduction

A hip replacement is a surgical operation in which the natural hip joint is substituted with a prosthetic implant. During everyday activities such as walking, running, sitting, or squatting, these artificial joint experiences complex loading conditions.

Finite element analysis (FEA) can be used to determine the location and magnitude of the highest stresses, providing essential insights for the safe and efficient design of the implant.

In this model, a stress analysis is conducted on a hip prosthesis under various patient activity scenarios, including slow walking, stair ascent and descent, and the extreme case of tripping. The applied loads are sourced from published research data. For the numerical analysis, a static load corresponding to a person weighing 75 kg is used, with separate loading conditions evaluated for the following situations:

• Problem involving slow walking on a flat surface
• Problem involving climbing upstairs
• Problem involving tripping
• Problem involving climbing downstairs

Objective

The main objectives of this study are:

1. To perform a structural analysis of the hip implant using ANSYS to evaluate stress distribution under different loading scenarios.
2. To simulate four different patient activities (e.g., walking, stair climbing, sitting down, and standing up) to capture realistic variations in load application.
3. To identify critical stress locations in the implant where maximum stress develops during each activity.
4. To ensure the implant design meets safety requirements by comparing predicted stresses with the material’s yield strength and fatigue limits.
5. To provide design recommendations for enhancing the strength, durability, and long-term reliability of the hip implant.

Note: This work is part of a research and development study. The model has been developed based on an extensive review of relevant literature, and the findings have been compiled into a structured report.