1. < Joint Replacements

Numbness after TKR

Posted by sandya4746 @sandya4746, Aug 7, 2023

I am two months post TKR. The outside of my leg is still numb from my shin to mid-thigh. No feeling at all. I can walk fine which is amazing result from the surgery. I continue to ice and have stayed in PT for strengthening and deep tissue massage. It is not improving. Anything else I should do?

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

tkr1 | @tkr1 | Aug 7, 2023

I am 13 months post TKR and still have a numb area about 2X5 on the outside of my surgery leg right below the knee. Doc says it will probably always be there. No pain, but it still feels weird.

REPLY
chriskay | @chriskay | Aug 8, 2023

I had my thr April 17. It is still numb in the area of my incision. I got more feeling as time passed. I feel like I will be like this from now on. I’ve heard from persons I know that had a thr and everyone I spoke with had some degree of numbness but not to where it was bothersome.

REPLY
Moderator
Justin McClanahan, Moderator | @JustinMcClanahan | Aug 8, 2023

Hi @sandya4746. I'd like to invite @whiteda and @hopelives to this conversation as they discussed some numbness and sensitivity after their TKR's.

I also had a TKR in 2006. I still have some "numb" areas around the scar on my knee, specifically to the right of the scar. The area of numbness was much larger right after the surgery, but slowly improved over time. Now there is maybe a quarter-size area of numbness left that I assume is just going to be there forever. While I don't like that area being touched, it doesn't really cause any functional issues. It's just weird.

I was told, in my own experience, that nerve endings can take a long time to heal if they are going to heal at all. Patience may be the key, but I also was told to massage the scar and the surrounding tissue. It sounds like you are taking a lot of really positive steps to do what you can.

@sandya4746 - You are experiencing a large area of numbness, have you discussed this with your provider or surgeon? How is your swelling and range-of-motion?

REPLY
1 reply
dmk | @dmk | Aug 8, 2023

I had numbness after meniscus surgery years ago then had TKR in 2021 and had a much larger numb area. My therapist did cupping and now just left with small area of numbness I had years ago from meniscus surgery

REPLY
1 reply
sandya4746 | @sandya4746 | Aug 9, 2023
In reply to @JustinMcClanahan "Hi @sandya4746. I'd like to invite @whiteda and @hopelives to this conversation as they discussed some..." + (show)
@JustinMcClanahan

Hi @sandya4746. I'd like to invite @whiteda and @hopelives to this conversation as they discussed some numbness and sensitivity after their TKR's.

I also had a TKR in 2006. I still have some "numb" areas around the scar on my knee, specifically to the right of the scar. The area of numbness was much larger right after the surgery, but slowly improved over time. Now there is maybe a quarter-size area of numbness left that I assume is just going to be there forever. While I don't like that area being touched, it doesn't really cause any functional issues. It's just weird.

I was told, in my own experience, that nerve endings can take a long time to heal if they are going to heal at all. Patience may be the key, but I also was told to massage the scar and the surrounding tissue. It sounds like you are taking a lot of really positive steps to do what you can.

@sandya4746 - You are experiencing a large area of numbness, have you discussed this with your provider or surgeon? How is your swelling and range-of-motion?

Jump to this post

I have discussed it with the surgeon. He said we will wait 6 more weeks and then call anasthesiologist to further assess.

REPLY
Moderator
Justin McClanahan, Moderator | @JustinMcClanahan | Aug 22, 2023
In reply to @dmk "I had numbness after meniscus surgery years ago then had TKR in 2021 and had a..." + (show)
@dmk

I had numbness after meniscus surgery years ago then had TKR in 2021 and had a much larger numb area. My therapist did cupping and now just left with small area of numbness I had years ago from meniscus surgery

Jump to this post

@dmk, if you don't mind sharing, how large of an area was your numbness after your TKR? I have not seen many members talk about cupping, especially as a means to combat numbness post surgery. How many treatments did you do and how long did it take to see results?

@sandya4746 - 6 weeks must be a frustrating length of time to continue on, but sometimes patience is the best approach. Is your surgeon hoping you get some more feeling back in that timeframe? Did they discuss what the anesthesiologist might be able to help with?

REPLY
dmk | @dmk | Aug 22, 2023

It started on outer right side of knee about 3-5 inches above knee and went to bottom knee and went half way to mid knee. My therapist did it once then had me use rolling pin down right and left side of knee 3 minutes each side daily as I had pain in area inside left side of knee. I noticed a difference right away after cupping then over time I have no pain and still have a very small numbness left but that was there from a meniscus surgery years ago but doesn’t cause any issues.
Not sure if that helps

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.