Hoffa’s Fat Pad Impingement: The Best Exercises to Reduce Anterior Knee Pain

Rehab Science Book Link: https://amzn.to/4r7acqA Rehab Science Membership Link: https://rehabscience.com/membership/ Hoffa’s fat pad impingement, also known as infrapatellar fat pad impingement, is a source of anterior knee pain that occurs when the fat pad beneath the kneecap becomes irritated or compressed between the patella and femur. Common signs and symptoms include pain just below or behind the kneecap, discomfort when fully straightening the knee, pain with prolonged standing, walking downhill, stairs, or locking the knee into extension, and tenderness on either side of the patellar tendon. This condition is often diagnosed clinically based on symptom behavior, physical examination, and movement assessment, with imaging such as MRI sometimes used to confirm inflammation or thickening of the fat pad or to rule out other causes of anterior knee pain. Rehabilitation for Hoffa’s fat pad impingement focuses on reducing repeated compression of the fat pad while restoring strength, movement control, and overall knee capacity. This typically includes modifying aggravating activities, avoiding painful end-range knee extension early on, and progressively strengthening the quadriceps, hips, and trunk using symptom-tolerant ranges of motion. Motor control strategies to reduce habitual knee hyperextension, along with gradual exposure back to full knee extension and higher-load activities, are key components of long-term recovery. In many cases, a well-designed rehab program leads to meaningful improvement without the need for injections or surgery. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:22 Exercise 1: Sidelying Hip Abduction 02:42 Exercise 2: Wall Sit Isometric 05:07 Exercise 3: Skater Squat 07:23 My Book & Membership Dr. Tom Walters and Rehab Science recommend that you speak with your doctor or physical therapist before participating in the exercises demonstrated in this video. The exercises in this video are intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. No information in this video is to be taken as medical or health advice.