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Foot neuropathy (numbness and pain) after total knee replacement (TKR)
Joint Replacements | Last Active: Dec 2 6:39pm | Replies (746)Comment receiving replies
I am sorry to hear this and this is crazy. You would think they would have some follow up test they would do to determine if any nerve or artery were damage. I am day 13 post op and will have my staples out today. I am still having the foot numbness on top and bottom and at night if I lay too long a certain way I wake up to a severe feeling of someone ripping the top of my toes open. I have to reposition my foot and move it for a while before that pain resolves but the numbness is still very much present. I am definitely going to ask my surgeon about this today and bring up the popliteal artery also. Hoping to get answers. Please keep me posted on your status. Good luck my friend.
Replies to "I am sorry to hear this and this is crazy. You would think they would have..."
Ask for and ABI test - simple ultrasound to test the pressure in your legs. Mine had very little pressure in that leg so I saw a cardiologist who ordered the angiogram which found the blocked artery.
Hope all went well at your appt. today. Take Care.
Lori
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I am sorry to hear you are having the pain, and it is definitely something to ask your doc about. Please don't be surprised or upset if he examines you and says that it is "normal" for your stage of recovery and will go away. What is most frustrating, of course, is that most pain meds don't touch nerve pain, so it quickly becomes a focal point of our day or night!
During joint surgery, many nerves are assaulted - irritated, bruised, repositioned, maybe even cut as part of the operation. Each of these must heal, and they do so at their own VERY slow pace. Some of the symptoms of nerves healing are numbness, tingling, burning, feeling cold or hot, even stabbing. The pain changes depending on the nerve involved and the stage of healing.
When I had my hip replaced, the numbness started at the incision and went all the way to my little toe. There were many changing sensations over time, and after about 6 months I was left with one permanently numb area (about 6") along my femur. I also experienced long term numbness, pain & tingling in my shin & foot for almost a year after a traumatic knee injury & ACL/MCL surgery, but it eventually resolved.
After my experiences, and a lengthy explanation by my excellent PT team of the nerve healing process, I realize many people will have nerve issues after major surgery. My PT explained that if I could change the pain with position change, massage, ice or heat it probably wasn't too concerning - just a sign of healing. If it didn't change, not matter what I did, and it persisted for a day or more, or there was new swelling, or it was discolored or hot or cold, it was time to call the doc.
2 weeks is early days yet - be gentle with yourself as you heal, do your PT even when it hurts (and it will!) and come back with your questions. There are a lot of experienced survivors here who can share with you.
Sue