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

Posted by norby @norby, Nov 26, 2018

I had a right total knee replacement 10 weeks ago and came out of surgery with numbness and intermittent pain on the bottom of my right foot. However, I do have good motor function in that foot. The knee has been healing and with PT, movement is on track, but the foot is a major challenge. The foot pain at times is worse than any from the knee. I have been able to generally manage the foot pain with gabapentin. My surgeon believes this may resolve in time but may take from 6-12 months. However there is a possibility that it will never go away. Has anyone else experienced foot neuropathy following knee replacement? If so, what was your experience with it?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Joint Replacements Support Group.

@irol

I feel so badly for your situation. I had various weird nerve problems in my foot after I had tkr last year. Had neurology snd muscle tests, etc. It seemed to be a lot better when I was really active, like going on a 50 mile bike ride. When winter came again, Inwas working out in gym and using a stayionary bike at home. The numbness and problem hardly ever appeared and then just about exactly a year after surgery in Feb I broke a bone in that foot (A ladder broke and I fell off of it). I have had to wear an air boot all of rhe time for past 3 months. I started having the problems all over again and now it feels like the second and third toes are melded together. They are all cold all the time and numb. I am hoping that it is because I have not been using them or moving them much. The doctor said "oh, you had a problem before, right?" And that is all. As if that is a reason not to be concerned or do anything about it. They all think I am crazy.

Jump to this post

Sorry to hear about you issues with your foot. I ended up with a fractured knee cap because of the lack of blood flow from the pinched artery. It made my bones in that knee legore brittle. I never fell, was just walking up the stairs and of course my TKR surgeon just saying I injured it. Again it's all about him not doing anything wrong. Wishing you all the best.

REPLY
@sandie2749

Thanks for your response, I’m glad you told me about Boston and if you know the name of the surgeon can you please inform me. My niece and nephew live in Boston and he is a foot doctor so I could stay there and see the orthopedic

Jump to this post

@sandie2749 I will message the woman I know and ask her the name of the doctor. She did tell me before but I forget now. I have a fabulous orthopedic surgeon in Boston too but I am not sure if he deals much with problem knee replacements.
His name is Wolfgang Fitz and he is at Brigham and Women's and Faulkner which is a part of Brigham and Women's. I had my TKR done by him at Faulkner and that hospital is fantastic. It's not big, I think it has around 161 rooms, ALL PRIVATE! I loved that hospital!
JK

REPLY
@contentandwell

@sandie2749 I will message the woman I know and ask her the name of the doctor. She did tell me before but I forget now. I have a fabulous orthopedic surgeon in Boston too but I am not sure if he deals much with problem knee replacements.
His name is Wolfgang Fitz and he is at Brigham and Women's and Faulkner which is a part of Brigham and Women's. I had my TKR done by him at Faulkner and that hospital is fantastic. It's not big, I think it has around 161 rooms, ALL PRIVATE! I loved that hospital!
JK

Jump to this post

@sandie2749 I messaged yesterday with the woman I know who had a revision done. It was done by Dr. Thornhill at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, the same hospital that Dr. Fitz who I had for my last TKR is at. She was very happy with Dr.Thornhill. I didn't know her when she was going through so much but apparently, as I said, she went through two years of agony before Dr. Thornhill diagnosed the problem.

We also had a member on Connect who went through a great deal of pain before finding relief. She went to Dr. Andrew J. Braziel at New England Baptist Hospital in Boston and found him to be great. So, if the Boston area works for you those are both highly recommended orthopedic surgeons with whom you could have a consultation for a second opinion, and if what the doctor says sounds reasonable have the surgery done.
Good luck with this. I hope you keep us informed of how things are going.
JK

REPLY
@contentandwell

@sandie2749 I messaged yesterday with the woman I know who had a revision done. It was done by Dr. Thornhill at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, the same hospital that Dr. Fitz who I had for my last TKR is at. She was very happy with Dr.Thornhill. I didn't know her when she was going through so much but apparently, as I said, she went through two years of agony before Dr. Thornhill diagnosed the problem.

We also had a member on Connect who went through a great deal of pain before finding relief. She went to Dr. Andrew J. Braziel at New England Baptist Hospital in Boston and found him to be great. So, if the Boston area works for you those are both highly recommended orthopedic surgeons with whom you could have a consultation for a second opinion, and if what the doctor says sounds reasonable have the surgery done.
Good luck with this. I hope you keep us informed of how things are going.
JK

Jump to this post

We live in Northwest MN about 30 miles from Moorhead MN/Fargo ND. My knee was done by "the BEST" knee and hip surgeon in the area. He flies all over the US. When I have gone back to him and told him about my popliteal artery being pinched by him and had to have surgery again 60 days after TKR and no one would listen to me he just said "you are lucky you didn't lose your leg, most people that is happens to lose their leg" and "most people come to me with problems like yours and want me to fix it" but then tells me to give it 1 to 3 yrs for nerves to heal and there is nothing he can do about a fractured knee cap. That bone chip is in there somewhere and hurts all the time. Last comment to me was "I bet you wish you would have never come to me". I hear of so many with numb foot and if care is taken it shouldn't happen! My first knee was a piece of cake in 2013 and one has been a pain since day one.
thanks for the names though. I might have to look in doing something when the US opens up again. We haven't gone to far from home and always wear a mask and gloves and spray everything down with lysol and keep hand sanitizer in the car. stay safe!

REPLY
@loriaakre

We live in Northwest MN about 30 miles from Moorhead MN/Fargo ND. My knee was done by "the BEST" knee and hip surgeon in the area. He flies all over the US. When I have gone back to him and told him about my popliteal artery being pinched by him and had to have surgery again 60 days after TKR and no one would listen to me he just said "you are lucky you didn't lose your leg, most people that is happens to lose their leg" and "most people come to me with problems like yours and want me to fix it" but then tells me to give it 1 to 3 yrs for nerves to heal and there is nothing he can do about a fractured knee cap. That bone chip is in there somewhere and hurts all the time. Last comment to me was "I bet you wish you would have never come to me". I hear of so many with numb foot and if care is taken it shouldn't happen! My first knee was a piece of cake in 2013 and one has been a pain since day one.
thanks for the names though. I might have to look in doing something when the US opens up again. We haven't gone to far from home and always wear a mask and gloves and spray everything down with lysol and keep hand sanitizer in the car. stay safe!

Jump to this post

@loriaakre I'm glad if it can be any help for you, the response was more for @sandie2749 since she said she could go to Boston and stay with relatives there.
I think your surgeon, although perhaps highly regarded, lacks a bit of empathy. I don't understand why, if there is a bone chip there that's causing pain, it cannot be eliminated fairly easily, but of course I am not a doctor so there may be things I know too little about. I do think I would seek a second opinion on that though.
Doctor visits are a bit intimidating right now though, and I think they will be for a long time so we may need to adjust our thinking and forge ahead at some point, taking every precaution. I have canceled an appointment I had for later this month. When you are older and have other risk factors it's just too scary!
JK

REPLY
@contentandwell

@loriaakre I'm glad if it can be any help for you, the response was more for @sandie2749 since she said she could go to Boston and stay with relatives there.
I think your surgeon, although perhaps highly regarded, lacks a bit of empathy. I don't understand why, if there is a bone chip there that's causing pain, it cannot be eliminated fairly easily, but of course I am not a doctor so there may be things I know too little about. I do think I would seek a second opinion on that though.
Doctor visits are a bit intimidating right now though, and I think they will be for a long time so we may need to adjust our thinking and forge ahead at some point, taking every precaution. I have canceled an appointment I had for later this month. When you are older and have other risk factors it's just too scary!
JK

Jump to this post

I have cancelled many appointments and the clinic said they are not scheduling in person appts. until August and that is iffy as well. BUT are doing teleconference and Zoom conference. I'll wait till thing settle down with the pandemic. We have had orders from our kids to stay home!
I have been told by the PA at the clinic that I probably need to go down to Mayo Clinic. Of course my husband does not want me to have to go through yet another surgery. Will see. If I knew it would get rid of the knee pain and help the nerve/numbness in my foot I'd do it but you hear of too many things going wrong trying to make things right.

REPLY
@loriaakre

I have cancelled many appointments and the clinic said they are not scheduling in person appts. until August and that is iffy as well. BUT are doing teleconference and Zoom conference. I'll wait till thing settle down with the pandemic. We have had orders from our kids to stay home!
I have been told by the PA at the clinic that I probably need to go down to Mayo Clinic. Of course my husband does not want me to have to go through yet another surgery. Will see. If I knew it would get rid of the knee pain and help the nerve/numbness in my foot I'd do it but you hear of too many things going wrong trying to make things right.

Jump to this post

I also have knee pain and a numb foot after total knee replacement (heel area mostly) been 2 months now. The reason i am replying is I believe you are far more apt to hear of the things going wrong then all the things that went right with TKR so consider that in your decision making.
I myself will do just about anything to avoid another operation on my other knee, the numb foot was NOT part of the deal and the surgeon NEVER imparted anything about nerve damage when I asked about downsides prior the operation (when making operation decision). My surgeon was the top guy in the group with all the great reviews, but it did not matter, he screwed up, he is trying to worm out of the responsibility by saying it may be a bad back. Bad back my ass, he did not show due caution in some manner, Bet if was his knee operated on he would not take it so lightly. But again, if the pain is relentless for a very long time, what choice do we have? Good Luck

REPLY

Curious as to your outcome after several years time? ( My surgeon believes this may resolve in time but may take from 6-12 months. However there is a possibility that it will never go away.) I am in the same boat years later, any hope??.

REPLY

Has anybody had their foot neuropathy go away after TKR? How long did it take??

REPLY

I too had total knee replacement last week and feel like stiff rubber bands squeezing my ankle and pulling to my toes and under my foot...but no pain. It's better than the few says after surgery so I think things are improving

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.