Active Shape Modelling compared to Hip Morphometry in the prediction of Hip fracture - Thesis Example

It involves pain, stiffness and and swelling and most commonly effects knee, hips and hand (Lawrence et al., 2008). Despite being one of the oldest known diesases, the etiology of the disease is still obscure. Earlier believed to be a disease of the articular cartilage of the synovial joint of the effected tissue, it has now been proposed that generalized OA is a systemic musculoskeletal disorder with a metabolic component (Aspden, 2008), changes in other tissues being secondary; subchondral bone responding to abnormal biomechanics and other tissues to secondary inflammation and enforced inactivity.

Hip is one of the weight bearing joints and is at heavy risk of wear and tear. In aged people it is at a high risk of fracture due to decline in the structural strength of bone tissues of the proximal femoral ends resulting from osteoclastic and osteocytic resorption (Chai et al., 1998). Study of association of OA and fracture has suggested increased risk of fracture in individuals with hip OA is mostly likely due to mechanical and locomotor factors (Arden et al., 1996). Aging again is the most consistent risk factor for OA in both men and women effecting the composition and structure of cartilage (Arokoski et al., 2007), the other major risk factors for the OA of the hip are physical loading related to heavy manual work and permanent damage as result of any musculoskeletal injury (Juhakoski et al., 2009), while obesity seems to have a moderate positive association with hip OA (Liu et al., 2007). In cases of hip joint damage due to either of these factors total hip replacement (THR) is an option wherein the diseased cartilage and bone of the joint is replaced by artificial material.

However there are risks factors in THR such as deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, infection, hip dislocation, hip implant loosening, nerve injury etc. To study the various aspects of OA, osteoporosis, fractures etc, a retrospective case-control study was