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

Hello. Yes, I have been experiencing neuropathic pain following a right TKA and right TKA revision. The revision surgery was 9 months ago. The neuropathic pain affects my low back, hip, and shoots down my affected leg out through my foot. I also take gabapentin and meloxicam. After several months of this pain, my orthopedist referred me to a physiatrist. I was diagnosed with several lower back issues, including sciatica, disc degeneration and spinal compression between L4-L5 and L5-S1. I have since received two series of epidural cortisone injections which has brought some relief from the neuropathic pain. I hope this helps.

Hello, TKR surgeon at first said give it a year. But after I told him he totally pinched off the blood flow to my lower leg and foot (the popliteal artery) now says 3 years to heal nerves. And all he said was "WHY DID YOU WAIT SO LONG TO GET IT FIXED, YOU COULD OF LOST YOUR LEG". He didn't listen to me.
Right After the TKR surgery My foot/leg was so "a sleep" my leg buckled when I tried to stand on it. Few days later my toes were purple and foot cold. Was just told it's normal. Well it wasn't "normal".
I am now 20 months out and it is still numb in spots and has a tingly sensation. The Dr. that fixed my artery said there is probably cell and tissue damage because of lack of blood flow for 2 months and will probably always be like that.

I had a total knee replacement 2 weeks ago and my foot is numb. My surgeon seems to think it will get better but I am quite concerned. I have tried massaging it but haven't come up with anything that works yet.

Hi Monana- The sneaky surgeons don't tell you about that side effect. I was very active and never had any pain or wweurd sensations other than my knee before tkr. The minute I came out of surgery my foot was numb. I am a year and half after tkr and mybtirs still have some numbness. The surgeon would not even let me describe my symptoms when I tried to tell him, and he just said it had nothing to do with the surgery. I was focused on getting my knee mobility and did not do anything specific about the foot numbness. When I started rigorously going on the stationary bicycle, the foot numbness decreased . As I became more active it got less, but sonetimes would be really bad. A year out, it was only a minor distraction and then I broke that foot. My ladder folded up on me and I crashed down into the metal furnace, etc. After I got out if my immobilizing boot cast, it was totalky numb again. It has been getting better since July when I was able to get out on my bike and walk again. I am rigorously bending my big tie up and down, holding for 30 seconds 3 times each direction with about 10 seconds between. I do those sets n the morning and usually at night. I also do stretches where I kneel with the toes flexed forward for 10-15 seconds, then relax them back, about three sets. I started all this about 4 weeks ago and it is really helping. By maneuvering the big toe, it seems to help the rest of the toes and foot. Good luck!

Thank you for responding. I'm sort of hopeful that at least it might get better. No I certainly did not expect this. I will keep working on it and pray that it will improve.

Hello, I had R TKA July 28th. Immediately after surgery noticed foot numbness and foot drop. Surgeon ordered foot brace to wear so I didnt trip and fall over R foot. Initially nurses and surgeon said oh just need to wait for block to wear off. May retake 2 days, may take 2 wks. As of today there has been no change. Surgeon finally ordered MRI, EMG, NCS all to look for nerve damage. MRI did not pick it up but the other tests did. Surgeon finally admitted there was nerve damage. Today I will see the neurologist for her take on all this after she reviews all tests and looks at me. Lower leg and foot are very stiff. Atrophy of muscles setting in because damaged peroneal nerve cant communicate with leg muscles. Have been told it may take a year for nerve to heal but I've seen NO change in 3.5 months so hard for me to believe there will be any improvement. Nerve was damaged behind my knee. Hurts to rest knee on chair like when you sit and on seat of car to drive. Leg feels heavy cuz upper leg muscles need to do all the work to lift lower leg like when going up stairs or moving foot from gas to brake in car. Anyway, will see how neurologist sums things up today. Hope this was helpful. May be looking at litigation sooner than later...

I wish we could get surgeons to inform patients of possible foot numbness and nerve danage as one of the tkr side effects. My surgeon denied any connection when I tried to tell him about my symptoms. When I came out of surgery my toes were totally numb. It turns out I had some damage to the peritoneal nerve and the numbness kept decreasing as I became more active. I am a year and half out from surgery. I try to be consistently be conscious of moving my toes up and down and flexing my toes as much as possible during the days. I broke my foot when I was at a year into recovery and had to start all over again after immobilizing the foot for months while the bone healed. It seems like the key is to keep movement in the foot as much as possible. February will be two years out from surgery and it is pretty minimal now.

@irol, when I had my right knee replaced last year, the anesthesiologist met with me and explained all of the risks associated with the surgery. I was concerned as I already have numbness in the feet from my neuropathy but in my case it didn't make it any worse. The rehab exercises played an important part of the recovery for me.

Had TNR 7 months ago, toes tingled after wakening for hours, hours later bottom of the foot went numb (heel area mostly), Tried everything to stop the numbness for 7 months now, nothing worked. Knee is doing fine after much pain for a month +, but the heel of foot stays numb. Numbness is not getting worse, If anything the numbness has improved .000001%, and in about 400 years I should feel my heel again with that rate of improvement. People say it's not typical to get this, but it does scare me about getting the other knee replaced.

I had a total knee replacement 7 weeks ago and have tingling,numbness and burning in my foot ever since the surgery. I was wondering if your pain has subsided and if so how long did it take?