Date of Award

Summer 8-22-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering

Organizational Unit

Daniel Felix Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science, Mechanical and Materials Engineering

First Advisor

Chadd W. Clary

Second Advisor

Casey A. Myers

Third Advisor

Paul J. Rullkoetter

Fourth Advisor

Margareta Stefanovic

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved.

Keywords

Biomechanics, Pelvic kinematics, Total hip arthroplasty (THA)

Abstract

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is one of the most commonly performed orthopaedic procedures, with approximately 500,000 surgeries performed annually in the United States alone. Although THA is widely regarded as highly successful, postoperative complications persist, highlighting the multifactorial nature of THA outcomes. Previous studies have demonstrated the importance of implant positioning and soft tissue mechanics, yet challenges remain in optimizing surgical decisions on a patient-specific basis. Recent advances in surgical planning tools have shifted the focus of preoperative planning toward optimizing patient-specific outcomes, highlighting the need to better understand how patient anatomy, surgical technique, and joint mechanics interact to influence hip stability and postoperative function.

The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate factors influencing THA outcomes through four primary studies, with a focus on hip stability and dislocation risk. The first study quantified pelvic tilt among THA patient cohorts during several functional static poses using in vivo high-speed stereo radiography (HSSR). Substantial variability in pelvic orientation was observed both within and between patient cohorts, suggesting that functional pose, and therefore optimal component placement, may be highly patient-specific and not reliably predicted solely by history of spinal fusion or prior arthroplasty.

The second study characterized three-dimensional pelvic kinematics during key steps of the direct anterior approach THA, performed on an orthopaedic table in vitro. Motion capture data revealed procedure-dependent rotations toward the operative side during several surgical maneuvers, which may influence the accuracy of achieving intended component placement.

The third study experimentally evaluated hip internal-external rotation and distraction behavior before and after THA, and developed computational models to assess corresponding changes in muscle mechanics. The results demonstrated significant alterations in hip stability following THA and identified strong correlations between changes in moment arms and global hip offset, suggesting the sensitivity of soft tissue structures to component positioning.

The fourth study developed an automated workflow for patient-specific finite element modeling of the hip with three-dimensional muscle representations, presenting a computationally efficient framework to support future analyses of hip muscle mechanics.

Together, these studies integrated clinical, experimental, and computational approaches to advance understanding of the biomechanical factors influencing THA outcomes and present a framework for improving surgical planning and patient-specific modeling.

Copyright Date

8-2026

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Rights Holder

Kathryn Holland Colone

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Format

application/pdf

Language

English (eng)

Extent

222 pgs

File Size

5.5 MB

Download



Share

COinS