"Stiction-friction" of total hip prostheses and its relationship to loosening.
The static friction, or "stiction-friction", in McKee-Farrar and Charnley-Müller prostheses in a hip joint simulator was compared with dynamic friction determined while the prostheses were oscillated. Under physiological conditions stiction-friction differed little from dynamic friction in both metal-on-metal and metal-on-plastic prostheses, and was affected very little by the lubricant as long as some fluid was present. Stiction-friction increased significantly only after relatively long stationary periods and high loads. However, the frictional forces generated in total hip-replacement prostheses were at least forty times higher than those generated in normal joints and may well be enough to cause late loosening of acetabular components by fatigue failure.
D000077:Acetabulum; D001843:Bone Cements; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006615:Hip / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007595:Joint Prosthesis / Q000592:standards*; D008153:Lubrication; D008670:Metals; D010969:Plastics; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013997:Time Factors
D001843:Bone Cements; D008670:Metals; D010969:Plastics