ABSTRACT
Direct anchoring of a lower-limb prosthesis to the bone (osseointegration) has been shown to solve some common problems associated with conventional socket prostheses. During the rehabilitation phase, amputees fitted with osseointegrated implants apply static loading against the abutment on a weighing scale to prepare the bone to tolerate the forces likely to be experienced during walking. However, the weighing scale measures only the vertical force. Moments and other directions of forces, which can affect the bone-implant interface stresses and the rehabilitation outcome, are not measured. When the amputee starts to walk, in addition, there is a risk of bone mechanical failure. This chapter illustrates the development of a finite element (FE) model to study the stresses in the bone and at the bone-implant interface.
