When you face having to have a hip replacement due to injury, you may have several questions. One of the questions you may have will relate to how durable the artificial hip actually is. You may also have questions regarding how it is tested and what sort of tests were done. Here are some answers to your questions, including what it means to have mechanical testing done on the hip before it is shipped out to hospitals and placed in patients like yourself:

Mechanical Testing for Fatigue

The first thing you may not know about the mechanical testing your artificial hip will endure is that it is tested for fatigue. This is a test to see how well your hip will hold up during extreme use and conditions. Keep in mind, you will likely put more stress on the hip during the first few months to years based on the physical therapy and conditioning you will be going through to get used to the new hip.

You will be placing weight on it in such a way that will put more stress on the material because you are not used to the new hip. You will be doing more physical therapy, in most cases, than you will later on. These are just a few examples of the fatigue and stress your hip will endure and that the mechanical testing looks for.

High and Low Cycle Testing

In addition to testing the artificial hip for durability issues, there are also two tests called the high and low cycle tests. The high cycle testing tests the 3-bend and 4-bend areas of the hip. These are the joints of how the hip moves. They are tested for different fatigue settings and different stress points that may cause them to break, bolts to loosen, or other issues that could cause a breakdown in the hip itself. Low cycle testing goes over the wave shape which is a test on the overall flow and shape of the hip as well as the strain rate and strain range the hip can handle.

Fasteners and Mechanical Testing

For some people, the mechanical testing that is done on artificial hips stops and starts with the overall hip. The truth is, there are mechanical testing options done on the fasteners and bolts of the hip. This means that not only is the overall hip tested, but the fasteners are as well. Keep in mind, if a fastener is not tested properly or does not meet testing standards, it could lead to not only the breakdown of the hip but also damage to your internal organs or system. Therefore, if you are checking for what mechanical testing was done on your hip, make sure this specific testing is part of the overall checklist by the manufacturer.

Hopefully, this answered a few of the durability and mechanical testing questions you may have regarding your potential artificial hip. If you have any further questions, consider a consultation with your doctor or physical therapist. They can answer further questions and help you determine if there is a specific material you would rather have for your artificial hip if you are given the option.

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