Hi Jasmin

I would suggest you try noninvasive methods first, before resorting to surgery. You can try physical therapy, ultra sound, ice massage, iotophoresis, cortisone shots, and either kinesio taping or McConnell taping. When you have exhausted those methods, then get another opinion before having surgery. Stay away from squats and anything that irritates the knee causing more inflammation because the fat pad is highly innervated. Here is a link to KNEEguru's info on the fat pad:

http://www.kneeguru.co.uk/KNEEnotes/node/465

Here is an excellent thread from Juneau about kinesio taping

http://www.kneeguru.co.uk/KNEEtalk/index.php?topic=57864.0

You will get a different answer from those who had surgery as to whether it was successful or not and only caused more pain. In my case, I had my fat pad removed because of pain and impingement. I tried all the above noninvasive methods first, before resorting to surgery. I had scar tissue removed and my doctor said the fat pad was hard and fibrotic. I also had an extensive chondroplasty to the backside of the patella. The surgery corrected the impingement and pain I had in that respect but I had a very large patella lesion, so I was still having a lot of pain from it, but was glad I had it removed.

There is a thread on the first page of this section, just seven lines down from yours, from a poster named Silkcardcrafts. This thread is about the fat pad and surgery. There are some who posted replies who had surgery and wished they never had it. I would look thru all the pages of this section for other fat pad stories and also put fat pad, or hoffa's fat pad in the search box feature of this website to find other discussions.

Pam