Difference in Movement between Superficial and Deep Parts of the Infrapatellar Fat Pad during Knee Extension

Syoya Nakanishi; Ryosuke Morimoto; Masashi Kitano; Kengo Kawanishi; Arisa Tanaka; Shintarou Kudo

doi:10.3390/jfmk6030068

Difference in Movement between Superficial and Deep Parts of the Infrapatellar Fat Pad during Knee Extension

J Funct Morphol Kinesiol. 2021 Aug 14;6(3):68. doi: 10.3390/jfmk6030068.

Authors

Syoya Nakanishi¹, Ryosuke Morimoto¹, Masashi Kitano², Kengo Kawanishi², Arisa Tanaka³, Shintarou Kudo^{1

2

4

5}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physical Therapy, MORINOMIYA University of Medical Sciences, Osaka 559-8611, Japan.
² Graduate School of Health Sciences, MORINOMIYA University of Medical Sciences, Osaka 559-8611, Japan.
³ AR-Ex Oyamadai Orthopedic Clinic Tokyo Arthroscopy Center, Tokyo 158-0082, Japan.
⁴ Inclusive Medical Science Research Institute, MORINOMIYA University of Medical Sciences, Osaka 559-8611, Japan.
⁵ AR-Ex Medical Research Center, Tokyo 158-0082, Japan.

Abstract

(1): The superficial and deep parts of the infrapatellar fat pat (IFP) have different morphological and functional characteristics. Knee pain often occurs during movement, and it is important to clarify the movement of the IFP during knee joint movement. The purpose of this study is to clarify that the movement of the superficial and deep parts of the IFP are different during knee extension in vivo using ultrasonography (US). (2): US was performed on 15 knees of 15 healthy adults. The probe was placed longitudinally at the center of the patellar tendon and the IFP was imaged. Measurements were taken during active extension of the knee from 90 degrees to 10 degrees of knee flexion at a rate of 30 times/min. The captured US videos were analyzed using Flow particle image velocimetry (Flow PIV) fluid measurement software. The region-of-interest (ROI) was set at the superficial part and the deep part of the IFP, and the flow velocity was calculated for each. (3): The flow velocity of the deep part (1.37 ± 0.13 cm/s) of the IFP was significantly faster than that of the superficial part (0.80 ± 0.23 cm/s). (4): Our results show that the flow velocity of the IFP is different between the superficial and deep parts and that US may be a better assessment tool for the movement of the IFP.

Keywords: deep part; flow velocity; infrapatellar fat pat; knee; movement; superficial part.