How do you treat knee fat pad impingement?

Physiotherapy is the first line treatment for fat pad inflammation and is likely to involve a period of taping and activity modification if the pain is severe followed by rehabilitation to strengthen weak muscles around the knee.

How long does fat pad impingement take to heal?

Most patients recover within six weeks of surgery.

What is soft tissue impingement after total knee replacement?

Impingement after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is usually due to problems in soft tissue. It is often associated with pain and mechanical restriction of motion. As in patellar clunk syndromes, it usually develops between the patella and the femoral component [1,2].

What does Hoffa’s syndrome feel like?

The symptoms of Hoffa’s syndrome include pain at the front and side of the knee. This is often hard to pinpoint and there has been no clear injury. Activities such as climbing the stairs, or even sitting with the knee bent are painful. In some cases there is a background ache and occasional jolts of sharp pain.

Is Hoffa’s fat pad surgery successful?

In our cohort, Hoffa’s test was positive in 86.2% of patients in the partial resection group and 84.6% of patients in the subtotal resection group. MRI is also a useful means of diagnosing fat pad impingement and other concomitant pathologies.

What causes Hoffa’s fat pad?

The common causes of Hoffa’s fat pad syndrome include: Chronic knee osteoarthritis. Sudden injury, such as a direct hit to the knee. Tight quadricep muscles.

How do I get rid of fat pad impingement?

Treatment

1. PRICE principles. Rest and avoiding aggravating activities. Apply Ice or cold therapy to reduce pain and inflammation.
2. Electrotherapy. A professional practitioner may use electrotherapy such as ultrasound and TENS.
3. Patella taping. Taping the patella is known to be highly effective in fat pad impingement.

What is soft tissue impingement of the knee?

Also known as Hoffa’s syndrome or fat pad syndrome, impingement is an injury in which the soft tissue that lies beneath the kneecap becomes pinched at the end of the thigh bone. The condition creates extreme pain below the kneecap and along the sides of the patellar tendon.

What is patellar clunk syndrome?

Patellar clunk syndrome occurs when a fibrous nodule develops just proximal to the patellar button. At approximately 30 degrees to 45 degrees from full extension, the nodule catches the anterior flange of the femoral prosthesis, resulting in the clunk and a painful range of motion.

What is Hoffa’s fat pad syndrome?

Infrapatellar fat pad syndrome is a condition that causes knee pain. Your infrapatellar fat pad is one of three pads of fatty soft tissue that lie under your kneecap (patella), at the front of your knee. It’s also known as the Hoffa’s fat pad.

What does Hoffa’s fat pad do?

Hoffa’s fat pad is one of three pads of fatty tissue present under the patella (kneecap). It acts as a protective layer that separates the patella from the thigh and shin bones.

How do you treat Hoffa’s fat pad?

Therefore, if you are suffering from Hoffa’s fat pad impingement you should consult with a knee specialist who can go through treatment options with you – this may include injection of steroids into the area to reduce inflammation (some patients require up to three over a period of time), targeted physiotherapy or …

Can a fat pad be impinged on the knee?

Often times after a direct blow to the kneecap, the fat pad can end up becoming impinged between the kneecap and the distal thigh bone. Since the fat pad is one of the most sensitive of all structures within the knee, the condition is thought to be quite painful.

How does Hoffa’s fat pad resection affect knee pain?

A progressive decrease in postoperative anterior knee pain was found in 95% of the patients in both groups. Hoffa’s fat pad resection did not appear to result in a change in patellar tendon length during the first six months after TKA. Preoperative fibrosis of Hoffa’s fat pad may play a role in postoperative pain and range of motion.

What are the symptoms of fat pad impingement?

Symptoms Fat pad impingement symptoms include tenderness around the bottom and under the kneecap. Patients may have a history of being able to over straighten the knee, called knee hyperextension or genu recurvatum. In some cases, the bottom of the kneecap may be tilted outwards due to swelling underneath.

Where is the infrapatellar fat pad located on the knee?

The infrapatellar fat pad (sometimes known as Hoffa’s pad) is a soft tissue that lies beneath the patella (kneecap) separating it from the femoral condyle (end of the thigh bone). In situations where forces are directed at the patella, it acts as a shock absorber, thus protecting the underlying structures. In…