Biomechanical response of infrapatellar fat pad in osteoarthritis

The infrapatellar fat body (IFP) consists of white adipose lobules delimited by thin connective septa. Its structural functionality pertains to a cushioning role in the knee joint, providing to distribute and to damp mechanical stresses during articular activity. In case of osteoarthritis (OA), IFP is found to be affected by inflammation, hypertrophy and fibrosis [1]. The aim of the present study is to analyze the influence of OA on the microscopic conformation, the morphometric configuration and the mechanical properties