Knee A to Z

A fabella is a little bone which sometimes forms at the back of the knee, within the tendon of the gastrocnemius muscle, like a tiny kneecap at the back of the knee.

The fabella syndrome is a set of symptoms relating to the fabella, with pain on the outer back part of the knee where the fabella can rub on the femoral condyle (knuckle of the thighbone).

A facet is one of the flat surfaces at the back of the kneecap (patella).

Facetectomy is an operation to remove one of the facets (flat surfaces) at the back of the kneecap (patella), usually to remove an area of arthritis.

Fascia is net-like fibrous tissue that anatomically either binds structures together or separates structures into different layers.

The fascia lata is like a fine elasticated stocking at the side of the knee, which becomes a thickened band along the outer thigh.

A fasciotomy is a surgical procedure to cut the fibrous casing (fascia) which surrounds a muscle compartment.

FasT-Fix is a commercial device for repairing the meniscus.

The main fat pad - or Hoffa's fat pad - in the knee is an area of cushioning fatty tissue behind the patellar tendon - but there are also other fat pads in the knee above the patellar area. Page updated June 2024 by Dr Sheila Strover (Clinical Editor)

The fat pad syndrome is a set of symptoms associated with nipping ('impingement') of the fat pad between the patella and the femoral condyle. Page updated June 2024 by Dr Sheila Strover (Clinical Editor)