Multibody model of hip dislocation

Hip dislocation is still a relevant clinical issue of hip arthroplasty [Stralen et al. 2003, Berry et al. 2004]. The factors which play an influence on the propensity for dislocation are related to the patient’s anamnesis and to the surgical interview: for example, the acetabular position and orientation, the femoral head size, the neck diameter and length, etc. An optimal set up of these variables can be accomplished through a careful design of both the prosthetic components and the surgical interview. This work demonstrates that a multibody model of the joint can be a useful aid as a design tool: it can allow to verify the amplitude of the allowed movements for each given configuration.