Stress-induced bone loss in the proximo-medial femur has been identified as a factor leading to loosening in the artificial hip joint. In an effort to develop a quantitative understanding of the stress distribution that causes bone loss, axial and hoop stresses in the medial calcar of the femur have been determined after total hip replacement, using finite element stress analysis. Stress distributions for a high and a low Young's modulus prosthesis material are compared for both collared and uncollared prosthesis designs. The use of a low-modulus material, and of a collar, are predicted to be advantageous, giving rise to proximo-medial stress patterns similar to those of the normal, intact femur.