Does stress shielding occur with the use of long-stem prosthesis in total knee arthroplasty?

A retrospective study conducted to evaluate the possible occurrence of stress shielding with the use of long-stem tibial prosthesis in total knee arthroplasty. Forty-one patients were reviewed (twenty-three standard prosthesis, eighteen long-stem prosthesis) and forty-one unoperated knee of the contralateral limb). Patients underwent bone mineral density assessment with a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) bone densitometer for the hip and bilateral knees.