Assessment of adaptive trabecular bone remodeling around a knee prosthesis stem using the Weinans model

Adaptive remodeling of trabecular bone surrounding orthopedic implants plays a critical role in maintaining prosthesis stability and preventing aseptic loosening caused by stress shielding and osteolysis. This study presents a numerical model approach combining Finite Element Analysis and Weinans’ bone remodeling model to evaluate the initial density adaptation response of peri-prosthetic femoral trabecular bone under the critical loading condition occurring during the toe-off phase of normal gait. A high-fidelity model incorporating cortical and trabecular bone regions was developed to calculate stress distribution and strain energy density within the peri-prosthetic region. The mechanical stimulus field obtained from the Finite Element Model was subsequently used to evaluate localized remodeling activation and density-related adaptation tendencies. The results showed that localized regions near the stem tip exceeded the ultimate compressive strength of trabecular bone (7.18 MPa), suggesting potential osteolytic activity confined to a limited area. In contrast, stress in the cortical bone remained below reported failure thresholds. Regions subjected to elevated mechanical stimulus exhibited increased trabecular bone density and corresponding improvements in predicted mechanical strength, reaching values close to 10 MPa. The simulations also demonstrated that density adaptation reduced local deformation, thereby promoting mechanical stabilization at the prosthesis-bone interface. These findings support the trabecular bone’s capacity to adapt mechanically to implant-induced loading conditions and demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed framework for evaluating peri-prosthetic remodeling behavior and implant load-transfer mechanisms.