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

Hi since my TKR on my left knee. My left foot has been numb. At times I can't stand a sock on it even. It has been 6 months. I go to a new Dr thursday and hopefully he can answer a lot of my questions about problems I am having.

Oh goodness. I will look into creams I’m hoping this resolves on its own seeing I am only day 4 post op. I will definitely keep you in my thoughts and prayers arhat your pain does resolve or you get an answer. What kind of knee did they give you? Mine is titanium and they did use cement. I wonder if you have scar tissue built up causing your pain.

Vince, ask for an ABI test (blood pressure test of legs) and if there is less pressure in that leg, then ask for an angiogram. That is how they found my problem with a totally numb foot after my tkr. My surgeon pinched the popliteal artery behind my knee during surgery but kept telling me it was normal. (the artery that supplies the blood to lower leg/toes) My numbness was not normal. I had yet another surgery by a different surgeon who opened up the artery and took out a dead blood clot then patched the artery and sewed it up. 12 inch scar on back of leg by knee. My TKR surgeon just told me after I told him what he did was "Why did you wait so long to get it fixed...you could have lost your leg"
I went to several other ortho drs. walk in. nerve tests. they looked for clots in my veins (but not the artery). took my primary to find the problem.
Well I have my leg and foot, but have permanent damage to cells and tissue in foot and 3 toes are numb yet since it was 2 months between surgeries.
Good luck! I feel your pain! Lori

I have had 2 tkr’s 10 months apart. A week after 2nd knee both feet got numb in balls of feet and first 3 toes. They diagnosed it as tarsal tunnel syndrome probably caused by my flat feet and different gait after new knees. So I guess I am stuck with neuropathy fire ever. If I knew I would end up with neuropathy I would have suffered with my knees. This is terrible.

Thanks for your reply.
I’ve had the deep vein tissue ultrasound, is that what you are referring to?
It turned out fine, this is why it is so frustrating.
Thanks

Nope a deep vein ultrasound is not the same. An ABI is an ultrasound but they put blood pressure cuffs on you legs and arms. Then it measures the pressure in your legs. Mine was good on my left leg and almost no pressure on the right leg I had the TKR on. There was no pulse found on my foot on that leg without using a Doppler even then it was hard to find one. My foot was cold all the time and my toes were turning purple and was tingling all the time. Hurt to touch my little toe for some reason. When walking it felt like walking barefoot in gravel.
I had 3 ultra sound on my veins for blood clots. But non found. My pinched artery was right behind the knee and not a vein.
I had good mobility and bend and flat. Just hard to stand up n walk without holding onto something. In the hospital they put a stabilizer on my leg for me to be able to stand up cause the foot was so numb. Surgeon told me numbness was normal give it up to a year to heal the nerves. He never looked at it in the hospital or at my 2 week. Just said normal. When I went back 3 month later and told him what he did. He said “why did you wait so long to get it fixed you could have lost your leg.
Got luck! Hope all goes well got you. Lori

Thanks Lori,
I have none of your symptoms, just the discomfort of
foot neuropathy and honestly only in the evening. I
do take one gabapetin 600mg At night which allows me to sleep through the night. Then I’m fine in the morning again.
It’s crazy.

Doesn’t hurt to have an ABI. You never know.

I had a numb leg from knee down and totally numb foot. like you said rubber when you stand up and feels like walking on gravel. Foot was cold and toes turned purple. Surgeon said it was normal - nerve damage. long story short...the surgeon pinched the popliteal artery behind my knee during surgery which cut off all blood supply to my lower leg and foot. 6 weeks later my primary said NOT NORMAL. did an ABI test (blood pressure test of legs) and then angiogram that found the pinched artery. Had to have yet another surgery where that surgeon took out a dead dried blood clot and opened the artery so I now have blood flow again, but since it was almost 2 months no blood to foot I have permanent tissue and cell damage and numbness to toes and other parts of foot. My knee dr.,when I told him what he did just said..."Why did you wait so long to get it fixed...you could have lost your leg" REALLY
Don't give up keep looking for answers! I did have a spinal injection to see if that would help and it did for about a year, but never go rid of all the issues. That Dr. just told me your knee dr. damaged more that the popliteal artery. It has been 3 1/2 years now. no change.