A selection of published medical articles (most recent first) about the Fat Pad of the knee (Hoffa's fat pad).

Because our team are always combing the medical literature for their editorial work, we thought it might be useful to others to see what we have been reading, and have put a link to the abstract available on PubMed. Where possible, we have located a copy of the full article and added a link, but your local library will also be able to obtain a reprint for you.


Adipose tissue produces and releases cytokines, interleukins, and growth factors by means of paracrine, endocrine, and autocrine mechanisms.

Hoffa's fat pad (infrapatellar adipose tissue) plays a viable role in the initiation and progression of osteoarthritis due to its role in the activation and release of pro-inflammatory mediators.


Hoffa's Fat Pad Abnormality in the Development of Knee Osteoarthritis. Paduszyński W, Jeśkiewicz M, Uchański P, Gackowski S, Radkowski M, Demkow U. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2017 Aug 3. doi: 10.1007/5584_2017_77. [Epub ahead of print]

The infrapatellar fat pad (IPFP), the local fat around the knee joint, may play an important role in the initiation and progression of knee OA [7, 8].


Hypointense signals in the infrapatellar fat pad assessed by magnetic resonance imaging are associated with knee symptoms and structure in older adults: a cohort study. Han W, Aitken 1, Zhu Z, Halliday A, Wang X, Antony B, Cicuttini F, Jones G, Ding C. Arthritis Res Ther. 2016 Oct 12;18(1):234. [Link to free full text article]

"...patients with IFP [infrapatellar fat pad] pathology present with burning or aching infrapatellar anterior knee pain that can often be reproduced on physical exam with manoeuvres designed to produce impingement."


Evaluation and treatment of disorders of the infrapatellar fat pad. Dragoo JL, Johnson C, McConnell J. Sports Med. 2012 Jan 1;42(1):51-67.

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