Fat around the knees
Fat around the knees can be difficult to reduce, even when you exercise regularly and maintain a healthy weight. For some people, excess fat collects above the kneecap or along the inner or outer knees, making the legs appear less defined.
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If you're wondering how to get rid of knee fat, there are several approaches worth considering. Weight loss can reduce overall body fat, strength training can improve muscle definition, and targeted fat reduction treatments may help reduce localised fat deposits and sculpt the knee area further.
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The most effective approach depends on whether the fullness around your knees is caused by excess fat, loose skin or a combination of both.
What causes fat around the knees?
The amount and distribution of fat around the knees varies from person to person. Several factors influence this:
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Genetics: Your genes influence where your body stores fat. Some people naturally carry more fat around their thighs and knees, even at a healthy weight.
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Overall body fat: Weight gain can increase fat deposits around the knees, although the amount gained in this area varies.
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Hormonal influences: Hormones affect body fat distribution, particularly during puberty, pregnancy and menopause.
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Ageing: Changes in skin elasticity and muscle mass can affect the appearance of the knees, sometimes making existing fat deposits more noticeable.
Fat around the knees is generally subcutaneous fat, meaning it sits directly beneath the skin. It may accumulate above the kneecap, around the inner knee or towards the lower thigh.
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However, not all fullness around the knee is caused by fat. Loose skin can create folds, while swelling may indicate an underlying medical issue. New, painful, red, warm or one-sided swelling should be assessed by a healthcare professional rather than treated as cosmetic fat.
Can you lose knee fat through exercise?
Exercise can help reduce body fat and improve the shape of your legs, but it isn't possible to choose exactly where your body loses fat.
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This is known as spot reduction. Exercises that target a particular body part strengthen the muscles in that area, but they don't selectively burn the fat covering those muscles.
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For example, squats and lunges strengthen the quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes. Developing these muscles can improve the overall appearance of your legs, but it doesn't guarantee a reduction in fat around the knees.
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Exercises that can help improve leg strength and definition include:
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Squats: Strengthen the quadriceps, glutes and other lower-body muscles.
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Lunges: Work several major leg muscles and help develop strength and balance.
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Step-ups: Strengthen the thighs and glutes through a functional movement.
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Cycling: Provides cardiovascular exercise while working the leg muscles.
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Walking: Supports general physical activity and energy expenditure.
For overall fat loss, combining regular physical activity with appropriate nutrition is more effective than relying on knee exercises alone.
How to remove knee fat through weight loss
If you have excess body fat, gradual weight loss may reduce the amount stored around your knees.
Weight loss occurs when your body consistently uses more energy than it consumes. This can be achieved through a sustainable calorie deficit, supported by a balanced diet and regular activity.
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A practical approach includes eating adequate protein, consuming fibre-rich foods, limiting excessive calorie intake and combining cardiovascular exercise with resistance training.
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However, weight loss doesn't affect every part of the body equally. Some areas lose fat more readily than others, and genetics play a significant role in determining where fat remains.
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If you're already at a healthy weight or reached your healthy weight through weight loss, but still have small pockets of fat around your knees, losing additional weight may not be appropriate or produce the change you're looking for.
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In these situations, targeted body contouring treatments may be worth considering.
Can fat freezing get rid of fat around the knees?
Fat freezing is a non-surgical treatment designed to reduce localised deposits of subcutaneous fat.
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The treatment uses controlled cooling to damage fat cells within a specific area. Over the following weeks and months, the body gradually clears the affected cells, reducing the thickness of the treated fat layer.
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Unlike general weight loss, cryolipolysis can target a particular fat deposit. This makes it an option for people who have stubborn fat around their knees despite maintaining a stable weight.
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However, the knee is a relatively small and anatomically complex area. Whether treatment is suitable depends on the location and thickness of the fat deposit, the available applicator and the proximity of sensitive structures.
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Not every area around the knee can be safely or effectively treated. A professional assessment is necessary to establish whether fat freezing is appropriate.
What results can you expect from knee fat freezing?
Cryolipolysis can produce a measurable reduction in the thickness of treated fat. Studies of established treatment areas have reported average reductions of approximately 20% to 40%, although results vary between individuals and treatment sites.
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These figures shouldn't be interpreted as a guaranteed reduction specifically around the knees, where published clinical evidence is more limited.
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Changes generally develop gradually over the weeks to months following treatment, and some people may need more than one treatment.
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Fat freezing is intended to improve body contours rather than produce significant weight loss. It also doesn't directly address excess loose skin.
Are there any risks
Common side effects include temporary redness, bruising, swelling, tenderness and numbness. Less common complications include prolonged altered sensation, skin injury and contour irregularities.
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A rare but significant complication is paradoxical adipose hyperplasia (PAH), where fatty tissue enlarges rather than shrinks after treatment. This may require surgical correction.
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Cryolipolysis is unsuitable for people with certain cold-sensitive conditions, including cryoglobulinaemia and cold agglutinin disease. Your medical history and the proposed treatment area should be assessed before proceeding.
What other treatments can reduce knee fat?
There are several alternatives to fat freezing, depending on the amount of fat present and the result you're hoping to achieve.
Liposuction
Liposuction surgically removes subcutaneous fat through a small cannula. It can provide more substantial fat removal than non-surgical treatments and allows a surgeon to contour specific areas.
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However, it involves recovery time and carries surgical risks, including infection, bleeding, asymmetry and irregular contours.
Radiofrequency treatments
Radiofrequency treatments use controlled energy to heat tissue. Certain devices are designed to improve skin firmness, while others may produce modest reductions in subcutaneous fat.
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Radiofrequency may be more appropriate when mild skin laxity contributes to the appearance of the knees. Results depend on the technology used and the condition of the skin.
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It is not a direct substitute for fat removal when a substantial fat deposit is present.
Ultrasound body contouring
Some ultrasound-based treatments such as ultrasound cavitation use energy to affect subcutaneous fat cells, potentially reducing localised fat deposits.
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The effectiveness and suitability of these treatments depend on the specific device, treatment protocol and anatomical area. Evidence for treating fat specifically around the knees is limited.
Is knee fat or loose skin the problem?
Before choosing a treatment, it's important to identify what is creating the appearance you're concerned about.
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A soft, pinchable layer around the inner knee or above the kneecap may indicate subcutaneous fat. Thin, creased or hanging tissue may suggest loose skin, particularly following weight loss or with ageing.
Some people have both.
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Fat reduction treatments are unlikely to correct significant skin laxity on their own. In fact, removing fat from an area with poor skin elasticity can sometimes make loose skin more noticeable.
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Identifying the main concern helps determine whether fat reduction, skin tightening or a combination of treatments is likely to be beneficial.
​How to get rid of stubborn knee fat when you're already slim
It's possible to have a relatively low body fat percentage and still carry fat around the knees.
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This doesn't necessarily mean you need to lose more weight. Natural differences in fat distribution mean that some deposits remain noticeable even when the rest of the legs are lean.
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If your weight is stable and you have a small, well-defined area of pinchable fat, a targeted body contouring treatment may offer a more appropriate option than further weight loss.
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The amount of fat present, your skin elasticity and the shape of your knees will influence what can realistically be achieved.
Knee fat reduction treatments in Manchester
At The Body Renew Clinic we offer non-surgical body contouring treatments, including cryolipolysis, radiofrequency skin tightening and ultrasound cavitation.
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Our clinic is based in Cheadle, Stockport, Greater Manchester.
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We can assess localised fat deposits around the knees and discuss whether a non-surgical treatment is suitable for your individual anatomy and goals.
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Interested in reducing stubborn fat around your knees?
You can book your knee sculpting treatment directly online through our online booking system. If we are treating the inner knees or outer knees only please book 2 applicators (one on each side). If you want to treat both the inside and outside knee area then book 4 applicators, 2 on each side. You can also treat the small fatty deposit above the knee, again this would be 2 applicators, 1 on each side.