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Calf Numbness after Total Knee Replacement

Posted by katclub @katclub, Apr 28, 2019

Hi it will be 3 weeks this Tuesday is numbness on the side of leg unusual. Stiffness is awful but at this point I guess this is normal, isn’t it? Thanks

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oceanspruce | @oceanspruce | Aug 13, 2022
In reply to @johnbishop "Welcome @oceanspruce, 5 days post TKR is really early in the recovery process. Sorry to hear..." + (show)
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Welcome @oceanspruce, 5 days post TKR is really early in the recovery process. Sorry to hear you have some numbness and clicking when taking a step. Have you talked with your surgeon or care team about the clicking?

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Yes, I've spoken with my surgeon's office and was told that recovery takes time. I have a follow-up appointment there in 11 days that will include a post-op X-ray.

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oceanspruce | @oceanspruce | Aug 13, 2022
In reply to @mpirruccel "I am a year out from surgery and still have clicking in my knee, although not..." + (show)
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I am a year out from surgery and still have clicking in my knee, although not every step. I think it is permanent at this point. Also have numbness down inside of calf. It has gotten better but still there. Hopefully it will dissipate over time. And have numbness near the the incision which is normal because they have to cut a lot of nerves for this surgery. That is permanent but doesn’t bother me. Bigger issue is ongoing pain on outside of kneecap when put weight on it or bending it. To have bone scan to check for infection, allergies to cement and/plastic. You are very early in recovery so you have lots of time to improve.

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Thank you for your input. At this point, I think I'd rather have the original pain than the new clicking.

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ddsack | @ddsack | Aug 14, 2022

I would not be concerned about the clicking, this is pretty common. You've got moving parts there, and even with natural bones you can get joints that click at times - even cracking knuckles. I'm three years out on my first knee, two on my second. Sometimes only one clicks, sometimes they both do, sometimes neither one. There is no pain, and I have good range of movement. I would imagine it changes depending on how good a support the muscles and tendons are providing the new joint, along with water retention, temperature and amount of exercise and who knows what else. It's only a nuisance in not being able to pursue a career as a cat burglar.

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timehri | @timehri | 1 day ago
In reply to @katclub "Numbness is always there. The front of knee but on the outside too. The home pt..." + (show)
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Numbness is always there. The front of knee but on the outside too. The home pt girl don’t worry but I am!

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@katclub

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july1955 | @july1955 | 1 day ago

It seems like we all have different responses to the surgery, at least in part because of different techniques used. After my TKR my thigh had that numb, heavy feeling for weeks! It went all the way down to mid-calf and all the way around my leg. The sensation gradually changed. Now, 16+ months out, I still have the heavy sensation in my knee down to about mid-calf, and mostly on the outside of my leg. I wish it wasn't there, but the increased strength in my leg and knee makes it worth it.

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timehri | @timehri | 22 hours ago
In reply to @july1955 "It seems like we all have different responses to the surgery, at least in part because..." + (show)
Profile picture for july1955 @july1955

It seems like we all have different responses to the surgery, at least in part because of different techniques used. After my TKR my thigh had that numb, heavy feeling for weeks! It went all the way down to mid-calf and all the way around my leg. The sensation gradually changed. Now, 16+ months out, I still have the heavy sensation in my knee down to about mid-calf, and mostly on the outside of my leg. I wish it wasn't there, but the increased strength in my leg and knee makes it worth it.

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@july1955

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steveinarizona | @steveinarizona | 9 hours ago
In reply to @july1955 "It seems like we all have different responses to the surgery, at least in part because..." + (show)
Profile picture for july1955 @july1955

It seems like we all have different responses to the surgery, at least in part because of different techniques used. After my TKR my thigh had that numb, heavy feeling for weeks! It went all the way down to mid-calf and all the way around my leg. The sensation gradually changed. Now, 16+ months out, I still have the heavy sensation in my knee down to about mid-calf, and mostly on the outside of my leg. I wish it wasn't there, but the increased strength in my leg and knee makes it worth it.

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@july1955

One of the more modern surgical alterations for a TKR is to NOT use a tourniquet. Using a tourniquet is known to cause leg pain . My brother's surgeon did use a tourniquet and my brother had a lot of pain; my surgeon does not use a tourniquet and I have not had to use a single pain pill.

Did your surgeon use a tourniquet?

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july1955 | @july1955 | 8 hours ago
In reply to @steveinarizona "@july1955 One of the more modern surgical alterations for a TKR is to NOT use a..." + (show)
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@july1955

One of the more modern surgical alterations for a TKR is to NOT use a tourniquet. Using a tourniquet is known to cause leg pain . My brother's surgeon did use a tourniquet and my brother had a lot of pain; my surgeon does not use a tourniquet and I have not had to use a single pain pill.

Did your surgeon use a tourniquet?

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@steveinarizona --- No, no tourniquet. I also had very little pain. I was sent home with Oxycodone and Tramadol, and only ever used one Oxy. I used Tramadol at first, and then Tylenol to help me sleep, and that was mostly because of soreness from PT. The NP recommended taking Tramadol before outpatient PT as long as I wasn't driving, so I did that.

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steveinarizona | @steveinarizona | 8 hours ago
In reply to @july1955 "@steveinarizona --- No, no tourniquet. I also had very little pain. I was sent home with..." + (show)
Profile picture for july1955 @july1955

@steveinarizona --- No, no tourniquet. I also had very little pain. I was sent home with Oxycodone and Tramadol, and only ever used one Oxy. I used Tramadol at first, and then Tylenol to help me sleep, and that was mostly because of soreness from PT. The NP recommended taking Tramadol before outpatient PT as long as I wasn't driving, so I did that.

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@july1955

I am thinking that your pain might just be in the s**t happens category. Did your surgeon go subvastus or did he cut the muscle and tendon?

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