Numbness below knee in the front of the leg.

I discovered during my PT for my right TKR that I have balance issues. Not only on my surgical leg but on both. I had gone to a normal local chain of PT shops for my post surgery and I had my surgeon send in an order for additional PT directed at balance. I went back and they did not do a new evaluation nor did they make a lot of changes to my exercises adding a few and subtracting a few.

A while later I was talking with my neurologist and he told me about a neurological rehabilitation facility that specializes in things like balance. I had him send in a referral and I went there. At my first appointment they did a bunch of tests and determined that under some standard I am below it. The second visit they did a bunch of exercises designed to build a baseline. This afternoon I go back to start the actual exercises although I do have one already (standing in a corner for stability; move my head up and down and side to side while changing my feet position.

I think this may help me a lot. But note that the referral came from my neurologist who is not normally treating anything related to my new knee. If you have a neurologist, I would ask her if there are any such shops in your community that might be able to help you. If you do not, do some research and see if you can find any in your community and then take the result to your surgeon and see if you can get a referral. Hip/knee surgeons don't normally look for these types of facilities.

I am so thankful you shared your experience! I will definitely check into it. I have nothing to lose at this point. I had the same experience with PT. I had one month of PT before the surgery in July of last year. Then 3 more months after surgery. In January of 2026 I noticed the balance issue and went back to PT. He gave me one sheet of balance exercises and wished me good luck. That was it. I did those but things didn't improve. So at my 9 month check up with my surgeon she recommended a different PT. Another 3 months from April to July, of more therapy. However, after all that, things are not much better. That's when I started doing research and found out that the numbness in the front of my shins could possibly be the problem. I feel like I have done my due diligence but still don't have an answer. I want my balance back and your suggestion makes perfect wense so I am going to make an appt with a neurological rehab facility and see what they say. If you are willing to share, I would be interested to know how that is working for you. I will share what I find out too.
On Sunday, October 11, 2026 at 08:54:12 AM CDT, Mayo Clinic Connect wrote:

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| Comment posted by @steveinarizona on discussion "Numbness below knee in the front of the leg.".

I discovered during my PT for my right TKR that I have balance issues. Not only on my surgical leg but on both. I had gone to a normal local chain of PT shops for my post surgery and I had my surgeon send in an order for additional PT directed at balance. I went back and they did not do a new evaluation nor did they make a lot of changes to my exercises adding a few and subtracting a few.

A while later I was talking with my neurologist and he told me about a neurological rehabilitation facility that specializes in things like balance. I had him send in a referral and I went there. At my first appointment they did a bunch of tests and determined that under some standard I am below it. The second visit they did a bunch of exercises designed to build a baseline. This afternoon I go back to start the actual exercises although I do have one already (standing in a corner for stability; move my head up and down and side to side while changing my feet position.

I think this may help me a lot. But note that the referral came from my neurologist who is not normally treating anything related to my new knee. If you have a neurologist, I would ask her if there are any such shops in your community that might be able to help you. If you do not, do some research and see if you can find any in your community and then take the result to your surgeon and see if you can get a referral. Hip/knee surgeons don't normally look for these types of facilities.
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The numbness could be originating from your lumbar spine. An orthopedic spine surgeon can tell you best. he will order a simple xray in his office and see if you have disc compression. That's where my numbness showed up. Yes, strengthening your core will help immensely!

@loriesco Thank you! I assume you saying that your numbness showed up in your shins also. Also, recently I have had severe weakness and symptoms of spinal stenosis in my back. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would have to worry about something like that. But here I am, so I will get it checked and rule it in or out. Could you share what core strengthening exercises work for you? Thanks for your comment, it is very much appreciated!

@lawanna85 I will be happy to share my results as I go along but I also often forget to do such things. So if you don't hear from me, respond to this post and remind me.

If you have a neurologist you like and trust, ask her. If you don't, do a lot of research. Just because a facility claims to do something doesn't mean it actually does it or does it well. It sounds like you are in a big city with lots of choices so you likely will several facilities to choose from.

I am an 81 YO well educated male. In those 81 years I have had lots of doctors. If there is one thing I have learned it is that all doctors, all PT facilities, and all surgeons are not created equal. Some are extraordinary; some are awful; most are somewhere in the middle.

The big challenge is to separate the wheat from the chaff and actually find that extraordinary individual or facility. If you have several doctors you trust, you can ask them if they have had any such experience with these shops and if so, which they liked and why, If you know personally any rehabilitation doctors, they would be great referral sources.

I have the trifecta for hands: carpal tunnel, cubital tunnel and arthritis at the base of the thumb. I went to a top rated surgeon with whom I had experience (for my son) so I went to him. I told him I just wanted some relief but was terrified of general anesthesia. He ignored me and told me he would have to do two surgeries, one on each arm, under general anesthesia.

I have a great neurologist whom I trust. He, in turn, really likes and trust the other top rated hand surgeon in greater Phoenix, Shelley Noland at the Mayo Clinic. Five weeks ago she did an endoscopic repair on my worst hand under local anesthesia. She listened.

Why am I telling you this story? Because you can interview PT facilities and don't have to take the first choice you are offered, even if that choice is a top rated choice. You can walk away from a PT shop just as I walked away from the first hand surgeon.

Good luck but I expect you to report back as well!

You do have a story to tell, so thanks for sharing. Yes, I am an avid researcher and always inquisitive. Especially when it comes to all things medical. I have Macular Degeneration also. It started 13 years ago and one eye was wet and the other dry. I received eye injections once a month. The first Dr. was awful so I fired him and found a truly wonderful eye Dr. at UT Southwestern here in Dallas. My other eye went wet a couple of years ago and now I have to have injections in both eyes every 6 weeks. It sounds a lot worse than it is. He numbs my eyes so I don't feel a thing. I also have Meniere's and it started about 20 years ago, but it is well maintained and I rarely have dizziness anymore. I have a triage nurse assigned to me now, so I will pass this information along to her and see where it leads. And yes, I will add new information as needed. This site is excellent, I am blessed that I found it. Thanks again for your feedback and good luck!