Massive Ossification of the Patellar Fat Pad: An Unusual Cause of Knee Stiffness

While stiffness following an injury is usually secondary to soft tissue scarring, a variety of different benign and malignant lesions may restrict range of motion about the knee. We report the unusual case of a patient who presented with a chronic knee extension contracture secondary to a large ossified mass in the anterior aspect of the knee. Radiographs, magnetic resonance imaging, and subsequent histopathology were consistent with a diagnosis of myositis ossificans of the fat pad. Subsequent resection resulted in full motion recovery and resolution of symptoms at 30-month follow-up.