Foot neuropathy (numbness and pain) after total knee replacement (TKR)

They just keep pushing

See a different dr

My TKR was Feb 12, 2019 & I too woke up to a numb & tingly foot. Found out thru an ABI the surgeon pinched off my popliteal artery, which I had to have a vascular surgeon open. I am find out now that I have nerve damage fro the TKR surgery. TKR surgeon told me I could of lost my leg and why did I wait 60 to get it fixed. He was the one who told me it was normal and give it a year or two. I wish you all the best and hope you find answers.

@loriaakre How ironic that he asked why you waited! Thank goodness you did get it fixed in time. Pretty scary stuff.
JK

What is an ABI?

ABI is a pressure test on your legs, Just like taking your blood pressure. Mine showed 1.6 on my left leg and .4 on my TKR leg. That read I g sent me to a cardiologist & then for an angiogram which showed that the popliteal artery was blocked behind my knee. Then I was sent to a vascular surgeon who did surgery to open it. I have since had a nerve test (EMG) which showed my TKR surgeon also pinched nerves to my knee, leg, & foot. Hence the numbness & tingling in my foot & continued pain in the knee. I also had an MRI of my back that was giving me a lot of pain because of limping for well over a year. (Reason I had my knee done but didn't help). The spine clinic believe my TKR Dr did somethi g to my back as well. So I had steroid injections in my spine - L5 &S1. It has helped some but the spine clinic thinks having surgery to relieve the pressure on my S1 will eventually need to be done. It is an out patient surgery. Will see how long the injection helps. On top of all that my knee cap ended up with a fracture and I didn't even fall.

Hello @gator1965
I had TKR 1 yr ago. When I woke up from surgery my foot was totally numb and tingly. They thought it could be blood clot and I had 2 ultrasounds with not clots found. They put a leg stabilizer on so I could stand otherwise my ankle buckled. My little toe wad so sensitive a sheet touching it hurt horribly! I wore socks inside out. 5 wks after my TKR I saw my primary Dr. who finely told me it was not normal like my surgeon told me several times and to give it a year or 2. She set me up for an ABI which measures the pressure in my legs. My TKR read .4 other leg was 1.6. I was sent to a cardiologist who sent me for an angiogram. That showed my TKR surgeon totally pinched the popliteal artery which was causing the numbness and tingling in my foot. I had surgery on the artery to open the artery and take out the clot blocking the blood flow to my lower leg and foot. My leg and foot got 70% better. It still get a little tingly and numbness on the bottom of my foot, which could be cell and tissue flow due to the lack of blood to my lower leg, but my toes are not purple and foot not cold all the time. Now my TKR surgeon says to me "why did I take so long to get the artery fixed!" "Most people that this happens to lose their leg!". I'm so glad for my primary who listened to me! Don't give up. Keep going to doctors! Get answers. It's not always "normal, give it a year or 2". Best of luck to you!

Hello, everyone here on this string. I had a left knee replacement in June, 2019 which resulted in a lot of complications. Within 2 days of the surgery I had a blood clot behind the operative knee, a 14 cm long hematoma in my calf, massive swelling down to all my toes, and my leg was red, purple, blue, green, and yellow up and down almost to my groin. I also could not feel much or nothing in my foot, ankle, calf, and knee. Reducing the swelling was tricky as I am/was on warfarin. My INR was low and it took me into July to get "therapeutic" with my INR into the 2-3 range so I could get released into a rehab facility for PT. I had PT daily and I also did PT on my own faithfully to be able to walk and use my foot again. By August I was released to go home; I had managed 120 degrees flexion unassisted and zero degrees extension unassisted. Very proud! Within 10 days I had terrible fever and chills, redness and heat from the scar. I had become infected. Another surgery to clean me out and replace the plastic knee section. Another stint in the nursing home with IV 3x night and day for 42 days with a pic line. Also got terrible weeping sores, dermatitis related, from the bandage adhesive. Did not know I was allergic to this, lucky me, hives all over my legs arms and torso. But, once again, although I was very, very discouraged at this state of affairs, I tackled my PT once again, daily and on my own, to hopefully come out of this nightmare. I didn't mention I had foot drop from all this trauma, too. A PT gentleman who worked with me shared his own story of foot drop and subsequent recovery from it. This GREATLY encouraged me at the 2.5 month mark after surgery. I continued with my PT religiously and I can see much success at the 8 month mark. BTW, I am 66, if that matters. I still have much neuropathy, it is firing as I write this. There were nights in August where my big toe felt like it was exploding or I had stuck it into a socket. I had no use for Fourth of July fireworks; I had my own in my foot every night. I take gabapentin 3x daily, and oxycodone, hydrocodone, or Tramadol when things seem unmanageable. BUT, I am home now, walking partly with a cane, and working at my teaching job 3 days a week. I understand the neuropathy is the nerves rebuilding themselves, and I console myself with that thought when the sensations are bad. I still have a lot of numbness and lack of feeling in my foot. I have a strong faith in God, and I credit Him with my continual healing. I don't understand why I went through all this, but my hope is that this post will help someone out there. God has a purpose in this for me and I accept that as His will. He has saved me from a terrible car crash, eye cancer, PE's, and now this. I could have died from any of these, but I was allowed to live and this is my story. I pray that God blesses all who read this with both physical and spiritual healing.

So sorry to hear all you have been through. Praying you will get better over time. My surgeon is now telling 3 years for nerve damage he did during my TKR. I agree the numbness n tingling in the foot is awful! When I had the popliteal artery (main artery that supplies blood to the lower leg/foot. Mine was pinched by my surgeon n he blew it off as normal)
I am still limping which put stress on my back. No one seems to care or wants to take the blame. So I just keep looking toward waking up w normal filling in my foot n leg.
I did have a steroid in my back which was only a temporary fix.
Take care of You!
Lori

Good evening, well I am still awake due to these pain in both of my feet.oh and occasionally both my hips hurt for no reason. I agree with you about the doctors should be more informative to their patients. We can all have such different issues I doubt they could ever tell us everything. I had both my knees replaced in early 2015 and both my feet and shins hurt so bad and are not getting better. I ever went back to my awesome surgeon and he X-rayed me again again and said both knees are great. He advised me due to the fact my tendons and ligaments were not cut during my surgery. I would need to stretch them out. Due to the fact over the long period of time I walked around with no cartilage left in my knees I had worked grooves into my bones. Therefore my ligaments and tendons had become short. On top of that my feet were hurting all the time my archers, heel and balls in my feet would burn and get stiff. Now get this if I flex my feet to stretch them my toes will cramp up. ,My knees aren’t to bad they only get stiff if I don’t move but if I move my feet hurt. Occasionally then my hips ache when walking. I went to physical rehab but it didn’t help:me very much. I was looking at some inserts to place in my shoes to see if that might help by shifting my walking gate. Any other ideas? I’m on a heating pad now using any type of over the counter creams. I use compression socks. I’m running out of ideas. Thanks for reading this. Any help or advise would be appreciated. Thanks Again