The infrapatellar fat pad (IFP) is in the anterior knee compartment and may be a major pain generator. A PubMed database search using the terms Hoffas fat pad, anterior interval, and infrapatellar fat pad was performed from the years 1970 to 2015. Limited research exists examining the role of the IFP in relation to potential treatment and rehabilitation implications.
Alterations in IFP mobility, whether the result of postsurgical scarring or faulty movement patterns, result in pain and disability in a variety of patient populations. The majority of treatment approaches are driven by the surgical technique.