In vivo kinematic evaluation of total hip arthroplasty during stair climbing

Stair climbing is a physically demanding task and a painful limitation for patients suffering from severe hip osteoarthritis. Although total hip arthroplasty (THA) is the definitive treatment for end-stage osteoarthritis, it is not well understood whether THA restores hip kinematics during strenuous activities. The purpose of this study was to compare the 3D kinematics of THA and native hip during physically demanding tasks and correlate potential differences with THA components orientations/positions in patients with unilateral THA. In vivo hip kinematics were determined during step-up and leg stance activities using a validated combination of 3D CT-based computer modeling and dual fluoroscopic imaging system (DFIS). The THA side demonstrated an average 3.4° (±6.5°, range: -5.9° to 15.2°) greater internal rotation than the contralateral native hip, during the step-up activity but not during leg stance. The difference in internal rotation was highly correlated to the difference in femoral anteversion and anterior translation of hip joint center between implanted and native hip (R(2)  = 0.71, p < 0.01). The results suggest the importance of accurate THA component placement in restoring normal hip kinematics during functional activities.