Anatom3DInfrapatellar fat pad
Corpus adiposum infrapatellare · Podčéškové tukové těleso
Joints & cartilage
Looks like
A soft fatty cushion (Hoffa's pad) behind and below the kneecap, behind the kneecap tendon, inside the capsule but outside the joint lining.
What it does
Fills space as the knee moves, cushions the front of the joint and carries nerves and blood vessels.
Keeping it well
Can be pinched and inflamed (Hoffa's syndrome), giving pain below the kneecap when straightening fully. Very pain-sensitive.
Related conditions
- ACL & meniscus injury
- Baker's (popliteal) cyst
- Chronic venous insufficiency
- Gout
- Growing pains
- Haemophilia & bleeding disorders
- Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
- Lyme disease
- Lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis)
- Lymphoedema
- Marfan syndrome & connective tissue disorders
- Osteoarthritis
- Pseudogout (calcium pyrophosphate disease)
- Psoriatic arthritis
- Reactive arthritis
- Restless legs syndrome
- Rheumatic fever & rheumatic heart disease
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Septic arthritis
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Temporomandibular joint disorder
- Varicose veins