Hip
The human hip is a ball and socket joint. This means that the top of the leg bone, the femur, is rounded and fits into the socket of the hip. This joint may need to be replaced if it has worn away, broken, or become chronically painful in some way.
Surgery
The ball at the top of the femur is cut off and the socket in the hip is hollowed out further. Then a steel ball is attached to a brace and screwed onto the end of the femur. The ball fits into a cup in the enlarged socket, providing many patients with a better functioning hip joint.
Joint
An artificial hip is made up of three components. There is the plastic cup that replaces the hip socket, the metal ball replaces the femoral head (the ball at the end of the femur), and a metal stem is attached to the shaft of the bone to add support (the brace mentioned earlier). When these three parts work in concert, they can duplicate the rolling motion of a ball and socket joint.
Movement
While an artificial hip can duplicate many of the necessary movements of a hip joint, such as walking, it is not a perfect recreation. Since the parts are steel and plastic, not biological, they're more rigid and less able to change. This means that certain movements, such as crossing one's legs, should be avoided since the hardware doesn't adjust to movements outside the range of the cup.
Pain, Stiffness, and Upkeep
Generally speaking, having an artificial hip joint replacement will relieve most patients of pain. Additionally, over 80 percent of those who receive the surgery need no help in walking once they've recovered. Some pain and stiffness may persist, and over time the cement that holds the plastic cup in the socket may need to be reapplied.
Tags: ball femur, ball socket, ball socket joint, fits into, means that, socket joint, This means