The difficulty of achieving good distal contact between a cementless hip endoprosthesis and the femur is well established. This finite element study investigates the effect on the stress distribution within the femur due to varying lengths of distal gap. Three-dimensional anatomical models of two different sized femurs were generated, based upon computer tomograph scans of two cadaveric specimens. A further six models were derived from each original model, with distal gaps varying from 10 to 60 mm in length. The resulting stress distributions within these were compared to the uniform contact models. The extent to which femoral geometry was an influencing factor on the stress distribution within the bone was also studied. Lack of distal contact with the prosthesis was found not to affect the proximal stress distribution within the femur, for distal gap lengths of up to 60 mm. In the region of no distal contact, the stress within the femur was at normal physiological levels associated with the applied loading and boundary conditions. The femoral geometry was found to have little influence on the stress distribution within the cortical bone. Although localized variations were noted, both femurs exhibited the same general stress distribution pattern.