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

Thanks Chris. I moved my ice machine next to the bed and had in on and off all night. Got some relief and an extra few hours sleep.Tnx!

Just wanted to add that I would dry brush my ankles to move the blood out. I told my PT and he thought that was a good idea. Hang on it will be gone and you will be on to the next thing. It is not a linear recovery, more like a roller coaster!

That’s the truth!

Same thing happen to me. After 1st tkr both balls of feet and toes went numb approximately 3 months later. With a bit of PT seemed to go away. 11 months later second knee done. A week later numbness, tingling and burning in both feet. Diagnosed with tarsal tunnel syndrome possibly caused by gait from new knees. After 3 decompression surgeries on left foot ( left ) being worse no relief. It’s going on 5 yrs. Nobody has a solution. Podiatrists look at me with blank look on their face. Worse thing of my life. Gabapentin only puts band aid on issue. Constantly massaging bottom of feet. Interrupts my sleeping. Hopefully it will get better hit you in a few months. I lost all hope…..

Two years ago I had a TKR and the neuropathy in my feet has worsened terribly since then..I am also still having pain and burning in my knee. I am seeing the knee doctor tomorrow to try and get some input from him. A year ago He told me “everything looks good” . I personally feel it is caused by nerve and tissue damage done at the time. But who knows?

So sorry you are having pain when they talk you into having the proceedure they just say you’ll be up and moving around in no time.
I think having foot numbness even after 2 years is normal, but it depends on how numb it is. I had a total knee 11 years ago and it has also burned, kept me up at night and sometimes it feels like I am grabbing an electric fence wire. I feel I was allergic to the Chromium-Nickel, Cobalt. I started having so much inflammation in my body that the cells in my kidneys and bones were granuloma cells. Because of the problems I have had, these so called doctors at Bozeman Health in Bozeman, Montana, are now saying I have sarcoidosis, an inflammatory disease. The place that performed the TKR won't even see me for a herniated disc in L5-Sacrum, which has cause both my legs to go numb and many times I have no strength, makes it hard to drive a car. If you can, get an allergy test for Chromium-Nickel and Cobalt, if those are the metals in your knee. If you are allergic to those metals the knee will have to be replaced with Titanium, which I have read that almost no one has a reaction to that metal. Good luck and I hope you can get the proper care required.

Thank you so much for your input. I am seeing the doc who did my TKR today and will ask some more questions. I keep hoping to get more answers and not simply…”Everything looks fine. Don’t know what to tell you. Good luck!”

I had my 2nd TKR in August 2021. It was the same ortho who did my right knee maybe 8 years ago. I have preexisiting neuropathy from chemotherapy with taxanes over 12 years ago. This knee was worse when I had it done. My neuropathy increased in both feet and my lower legs. The recovery seems much slower, I think due the the neuropathy. I am now post PT and am supposed to do exercises and walk daily which I do and then stop. I have used every neuropathy drug but the side effects of balance problems are not worth it. I always were those socks with the no slip bottoms and I usually wear socks to bed as it helps the pain and nerve sensations. I had a neurologist from Europe who said they used alpha lipoic acid in Europe, 600mg for 4-6 weeks. I tried it. I stopped after 5 weeks as it did not work for me. Maybe it works for some people. My neurologist now told me the nerve feedback system can cause problems in both legs from the one surgery. I am hoping it gets better or no worse by the anniversary of the surgery. I think walking may help and am going to try and get into a routine again. Anything you can do not to fall, I think, is the most critical. If neuropathy is permanent it is all about adaptation and
learning new skills to deal with how it impacts your life. I now usually drive with only a sock on or my barefooot as ,since this surgery, the bottom of foot sensation has diminished. I have good range of motion in my knee but have not exercised and built up my calf and thigh muscles enough to take some of the weight off of it. I also weigh more than I did with the first knee, but am sure it is not a contributing factor in the neuropathy.

YES I HAVE!!! it was awful! woke up from surgery with no feeling in my foot just numb and tingling. My surgeon also told me it was normal to have a numb foot, but this was ridiculous. it was like sitting and you foot goes to sleep and you can't stand on it. Well long story short and after several visits to my surgeon and others at walk in was told NORMAL!! NOT! My foot was cold all the time and toes were purple! Went to my primary (Nurse Practitioner) about 5 weeks later who said NOT NORMAL. She ordered an ABI test, tests blood pressure in your legs. Had little to no blood flow to my foot. Went to the cardiologist who ordered an angiogram. Found out the surgeon had pinched off the popliteal artery behind my knee during the knee replacement! That is the main artery that feeds blood to your feet. So I only had a few small veins suppling blood to my foot and toes. So 7 week after my knee replacement I was back in surgery with a different surgeon who went in behind my knee, separated the muscles, and other tissues and found a dead dried up clot of blood where the artery was pinched. NO more cold foot or purple toes, just a 6+ hour surgery.
Went back to my knee replacement surgeon and told him what he did and all he said was "why did you wait so long to get it fixed, you could of lost your leg" REALLY! Then he went in to my medical records and deleted everything that had anything to do with my numb tingly foot! made it look like it never happened.
Anyway don't give up. Have an ABI test done. Takes about 5 minutes to do and is just like taking your blood pressure on your arm.
I Thank GOD everyday for my primary who "saved my leg" I still do have some residue numbness. My artery surgeon checks it every year to make sure the patched artery is working good, but said my foot might be as good as it gets, it went to long without blood flow and has some cell and tissue damage, but at least I have a leg with a foot attached. The chances of what happened to me is .003% and I was 1 of them. Doctors need to not brush off a numb tingly foot to that's just normal give it time. I he would of listened to me and checked into the why, I would of have a much better outcome.
Good luck and let me know if you ever find out anything.

You might consider some acupressure or acupuncture. The acupressure guides can be found in YouTube.
I use one acupressure spot on each hand below each pinkie finger for insomnia rubbing that area for about three minutes, works great I get sleepy quickly.
Look on YouTube. Good luck!