The infrapatellar fat pad is an adipose tissue in the knee that facilitates the distribution of synovial fluid and absorbs impulsive actions generated through the joint. The correlation between morphological configuration and mechanical properties is analyzed by a computational approach. The microscopic anatomy of the infrapatellar fat pad is studied aiming to measure the dimension of adipose lobules and the thickness of connective septa. Results from histomorphometric investigations show that the infrapatellar fat pad is an inhomogeneous tissue, constituted by large lobules in the superficial part and smaller lobules in the deepest one. Finite element models of the infrapatellar fat pad are developed. The first model considers the inhomogeneous conformation of the infrapatellar fat pad, composed of micro- and macro-chambers, while the second model considers a homogeneous distribution of adipose lobules with similar dimensions. Computational analyses are performed considering the static standing configuration and the passive flexion–extension movement. The computational results allow us to identify the different stress and strain fields within the tissue and to appreciate the variation of the mechanical performance of the overall system considering the distribution of adipose lobules. Results show that the distribution of adipose lobules in macro- and micro-chambers allows major deformation of the infrapatellar fat pad, decreasing the stress inside the tissues.

髌下脂肪垫是膝盖中的脂肪组织，可促进滑液的分布并吸收通过关节产生的冲动动作。通过计算方法分析形态配置和机械性能之间的相关性。研究了髌下脂肪垫的显微解剖，旨在测量脂肪小叶的尺寸和结缔组织的厚度。组织形态学研究结果表明，髌下脂肪垫是一种不均匀的组织，由浅部的大小叶和最深部的小小叶构成。开发了髌下脂肪垫的有限元模型。第一个模型考虑了髌下脂肪垫的不均匀构象，由微腔和宏观腔组成，而第二个模型考虑了具有相似尺寸的脂肪小叶的均匀分布。计算分析是在考虑静态站立配置和被动屈伸运动的情况下进行的。计算结果使我们能够识别组织内的不同应力和应变场，并了解考虑到脂肪小叶分布的整个系统的机械性能的变化。结果表明，脂肪小叶在大腔和微腔中的分布允许髌下脂肪垫发生较大变形，从而降低组织内的应力。计算结果使我们能够识别组织内的不同应力和应变场，并了解考虑到脂肪小叶分布的整个系统的机械性能的变化。结果表明，脂肪小叶在大腔和微腔中的分布允许髌下脂肪垫发生较大变形，从而降低组织内的应力。计算结果使我们能够识别组织内的不同应力和应变场，并了解考虑到脂肪小叶分布的整个系统的机械性能的变化。结果表明，脂肪小叶在大腔和微腔中的分布允许髌下脂肪垫发生较大变形，从而降低组织内的应力。