Mechanical properties of cancellous bone from the acetabulum in relation to acetabular shell fixation and compared with the corresponding femoral head.

•Acetabular bone is inferior to femoral head bone from the same individuals.•Pubic bone is mechanically the most inferior.•Acetabular bone modulus is ∼10–20% and yield stress ∼25% of femoral head bone.•Half-life of stress-relaxation is several seconds and 300 s residual stress ∼60%.•Waiting a few minutes after shell insertion may help seat a poorly congruent liner.