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Nearly every patient will experience some degree of permanent numbness on the lateral (outside) side of the knee after knee replacement surgery. This is anticipated. It is so common, most surgeons do not discuss this with their patients prior to surgery. It is not a complication, but a necessary side-effect of achieving a safe exposure to perform knee replacement surgery. What is going on? There are cutaneous (skin) nerves that cross the front of the knee from the inside (medial) to the outside (lateral). A knee replacement incision is made longitudinally over the front (anterior) of the knee. These small nerves must be cut to allow deeper exposure. Other than a numb patch on the outside of the knee, there is generally no other negative effect. Once rehabilitated, patients rarely even mention this finding. Most are just thrilled their arthritic pain is gone and they are back to their desired activities again.  Sketch of right knee viewed from the front  Sketch of right knee showing cutaneous (skin) nerve branches crossing anteriorly (in the front)  Anterior incision crosses the cutaneous nerve branches in the front of the knee  Numb patch on the lateral aspect of the knee after knee replacement surgery is common and expected
62 Comments
12/2/2019 03:38:53 pm
Thanks for the information about the nerves in my knee. You showed me how they run across my knee and how making a insicion for knee surgery cuts them so explaining the numbness on the outside part of my knee insicion. Thanks 12/2/2019 03:41:55 pm
This question comes up quite frequently. I am glad you found my explanation helpful!
Josephine peros
7/19/2020 09:06:10 am
Will the numbness disappear over time 7/26/2020 08:59:43 am
@Josephine Peros - Most people report the numbness improves over time, but I would not expect it to completely resolve. 2/8/2020 06:20:38 pm
You're welcome. It is nice when things make sense. 2/8/2020 06:24:26 pm
As you read in the preceding article, numbness is not only common, but it is an expected, unavoidable issue based on the anatomy.
Randy Lara
12/4/2020 06:19:36 pm
I recently had knee replacement on Oct 28,2020. Im having numbness in my left foot and toes and my left hand. Im also not abke to bend my knee completely back.Its stiff.In therapy im abke to complete all required task just not the bending of the knee. 12/7/2020 08:55:54 pm
I can not relate hand numbness to your knee replacement, other than perhaps if an IV was placed into your hand during the surgery? It is not normal to experience numbness in your foot either. This needs to be evaluated by your surgeon ASAP.
Lynda
5/17/2020 12:39:21 am
I want
Sandy
9/29/2020 11:04:31 am
I needed to read this. I am just shy of 10 weeks post TKTS and also considering myself in the failed group. I have very good ROM but swelling and pretty severe tightness. Hoping for better days ahead. 9/29/2020 07:27:26 pm
In my experience, 10 weeks post-op is too soon to give up. Spend time stretching every day as I describe throughout this website. Use ice/anti-inflammatory medications, if you can tolerate them. Be confident that your body will heal, and with time the inflammation, swelling, and pain will subside. The odds are dramatically in your favor.
Anthony J.
3/24/2020 10:26:28 am
Is there anything I can do to help in recovering from this numbness? Like for instance massaging the area, applying heat or cold? Or am I just going to have to get used to it? 3/24/2020 04:28:05 pm
Gentle massage is fine, but you will gradually get used to it with time.
Carol
6/14/2020 09:56:11 am
I understand the numbness is to be expected, but when we walk the numbness starts at the outside of the knee and is all the way up the thigh by the time we get back after 2 miles. It will be 2 years the end of July since tkr. Is this normal? Range of motion is normal with other leg this is my biggest complaint. Thanks for advice. 6/26/2020 07:06:04 am
If you have increasing numbness in your thigh with walking, I would be concerned about spinal stenosis. This is where the nerves in your back become pinched as the spinal canal gradually squeezes down over decades. This is typically made worse with walking or standing and better when you sit. I recommend you get checked out by an orthopedic surgeon. Your history is classic for this diagnosis. 6/27/2020 11:21:59 pm
I still have numbness of my knee after 2 years & 2 month now and pain of my knee replacement what will I do to take care of my knee replavements .....reply nenalinda0216@yahoo.com thank you 6/28/2020 12:55:36 am
As I illustrated in this article, a numb patch on the lateral aspect of the knee is normal and anticipated after knee replacement surgery. It is usually permanent, though it often becomes less obvious over time as your brain adjusts to the new normal. This does not require treatment, and does not indicate a problem. If you are having pain, you should be evaluated by an orthopedic surgeon with a physical examination and x-rays.
Peggy Aiello
7/7/2020 09:17:24 pm
My knee replacement has been 2 years and 3 months. I’ve lived with the numbness around my knee, but recently slipped and landed on that knee. I’ve noticed that now, if I’m on my feet for awhile, I get numbness on the outside of my thigh just above that knee. I only skinned m6 knee and there was minor swelling under the abrasion. Is this a cause for worry? 7/26/2020 09:03:03 am
New numbness that develops after trauma should be investigated if it does not rapidly improve. From your description- I would be more concerned about an injury to your back as opposed to an injury to your knee replacement. Either way- if not improving, it should be evaluated by an orthopedic surgeon.
CAROL S LUTZ
7/22/2020 08:06:34 am
I understand the numbness issue now. Thank you for the enlightenment. However I am having pain down the outside of my knee that radiates towards the front or shin area. With some motions the pain increases and makes my leg feel unstable. Should I go see my surgeon about this? 7/26/2020 08:57:51 am
Pain is common while rehabilitating a knee replacement. You do not indicate how recently your knee was replaced. It is not normal to experience ongoing or worsening pain, and certainly not instability. If this is happening, then yes, I would recommend discussing this with your surgeon.
Sharon
7/29/2020 01:50:44 am
I rarely, very rarely comment on all the pre/post procedure info I research online but I want to thank you for your clear and concise explanation for my post tkr numbness. My surgeon was excellent, my pt has raved about his skill with my recovery. But all of the info I have found to explain my numbness (although all say it is normal) didn’t explain the why. Thank you for the simple diagram. Simple but clear. My surgeon did a fantastic job fitting my replacement, pretty much no “pain” except for week 2 due to a lupus flair and forgetting my pain meds :( But the numbness was my concern. Keep posting please. I have read your other posts and they were also helpful especially the range of motion stretching. Behind the chair was a good one! At 122degrees at 7 weeks but striving for 130. Hope this is not unreasonable. 8/24/2020 08:48:28 pm
I am glad you find this website helpful. Looks like you are rehabilitating your knee replacement quite well. I hope by this point you have achieved your goal of 130 degrees flexion.
Terry
8/9/2020 11:53:30 pm
I'm 1 year in having my tkr and I still have numbness but I can deal with that Thanks for the helpful information my problem is that I have been to pt did all the exercises and my knee still not to a full bend and I still deal with some pain as well please tell me what's the next step my doctor says it's because of keloid skin tissue but I'm thinking it could be something else 8/14/2020 05:48:27 am
The majority of patients are not able to "fully flex" their knee following knee replacement. This is not typically due to the prosthesis or their surgeon, but by their ability to rehabilitate. Throughout this website, I describe why rehabilitation is challenging, and I provide guidance to help facilitate an optimal rehabilitation course.
Jeanne
8/15/2020 10:37:14 pm
I had a TKR 10 months ago @age 59. My knee is still numb over quite a large area on the lateral part of my knee. The knee is warm to the touch constantly. I was unable to tolerate any pain medication, so recovery and rehab has been difficult, but I continue to do everything I have been instructed to do. The pain starts on the lateral part of my knee and travels down to my ankle where there is swelling above my ankle ( like a large egg). I’m concerned it’s been going on for so long and nothing is changing. My surgeon has stated the X-ray of the prosthetic looks fine, but is not concerned with all the other issues. Between June and July my PCP gave me two shots of cortisone in my knee for pain...no results. I have since gone back to a different PT in the hopes that I will have some relief with a new set of eyes. Could this be nerve damage? My lower back around L4 has been painful also since the surgery. I would appreciate any advice or direction you can offer. I’m feeling discouraged for I thought these issues would have lessened by now. With gratitude and appreciation. 8/24/2020 08:52:32 pm
Your history is definitely suggestive of an L4-L5 radiculopathy. This would cause radiating pain from your back down to your ankle. While it would not cause your ankle to swell, it would be consistent with getting no relief from a knee cortisone injection. While it is impossible for me to say for sure, perhaps further evaluation of your back using an MRI scan would be appropriate at this point.
Lisa Lefevre
8/21/2020 03:07:06 pm
I am 5 weeks out of my surgery. I haven't been going to rehab three times a week working hard I am stretching very well pain was going away but all of a sudden I got this severe pain on the side of my knee left side and my therapist at rehab said it probably was my nerves growing back what truth . 8/24/2020 08:46:05 pm
This is not a typical experience. Nerves do not suddenly "grow back." If they are going to recover, this is a gradual process. You do not mention which knee you had replaced, and therefore I do not know what the "left" side refers to. The typical numb patch is on the outside or lateral to the incision. While pain is not unusual during total knee rehabilitation, this is generally not considered sudden, or sharp. Any sharp pain that happens suddenly around a knee replacement, and does not rapidly resolve, should be evaluated by your surgeon.
Gina Mars
8/22/2020 01:24:37 pm
Hi, I have a question, I’m 3 years out of a partial inner knee replacement right knee. I tore the meniscus in my inner left knee a few months ago. I’m getting it fixed Monday. However I have developed terrible pain on the outer right knee where it gets numb. It is painful most of the time and it’s a searing pain. Sometimes goes away after resting for hours. The doctor says it’s probably the it band from overcompensating. It’s now starting on my outer right knee. What advice can you offer. I’m miserable 8/24/2020 09:05:43 pm
While it could definitely be your iliotibial band (IT band), it is also possible to develop arthritis in the outside compartment of your knee when the medial compartment has undergone partial replacement. Standing X-rays would reveal this. If there is not a conclusive finding on x-ray, and your pain remains severe, I would then recommend an MRI scan with MARS sequencing. This is a metal artifact reducing technique that coincidentally shares your name. A lateral meniscal tear would also be a diagnosis to consider and would be seen on this MRI study.
Lynnett Ivy
8/29/2020 02:26:35 pm
On June 2, 2020 9/3/2020 05:11:34 pm
It is definitely feasible to squat and/or kneel. Some patients do not like how it feels, but there is minimal risk in doing so.
Chris Frederick
8/31/2020 10:29:46 am
I had a total knee replacement done on my right knee 3 weeks ago which is healing quite nicely. Thank you for the explanation of the numbness I am experiencing on the outside of the incision. However, on the inside of the incision, from about the bottom of the knee cap to the bottom of the scar, even the lightest touch to the skin produces excruciating pain, like a burning sensation. This pain is only on the skin and only in this localized area on the inside of the scar. In bed, just a sheet touching this area results in horrible pain. As an experiment, I gently rubbed lidocaine on this area, and the pain disappeared, but of course, came back when the lidoncaine wore off. Have you seen this before, or do you have any idea what could be causing this? 9/3/2020 04:50:55 pm
The surgical approach usually is on the medial side of the patella (kneecap). More soft tissue stripping along the medial aspect of the proximal tibia is also necessary in many knees (particularly when correcting a varus (bow-legged) knee. This is probably why the inside aspect of your knee is more sensitive right now. If there is increasing redness, or increasing swelling, your surgeon needs to take a look, otherwise, I would expect this sensitivity to diminish with time. 9/7/2020 12:17:15 pm
I had a TKR a year and a half ago. I had to have a clean out and plastic component replaced a month after initial surgery due to infection. My question has to do with my scar. Above my knee looks like a big chunk of flesh was removed. It's really dented in. Is this to be expected due to reopening of the knee? 9/13/2020 10:17:39 am
I would not consider this "normal." But, with the context you provided (infection requiring another surgery) it is certainly not unreasonable. It sounds like some tissue was removed (excised/debrided) at the time of your subsequent surgery. Any infected tissue must not be left behind. This may explain the "dent."
Cathey Duplissey
9/13/2020 10:55:46 am
Thank you for responding to my question. That makes sense. 9/17/2020 11:21:44 pm
I had total knee replacement surgery to left knee on August 28th of this year. I guess recovery is going well but kinda of upset that I was not informed about this permanent nerve damage causing the numb and uncomfortable feeling of the knee. Having problems getting comfortable to go to sleep. I am supposed to have same procedure on right knee on October 20th. Not sure I will go through with it due to not wanting the same feeling in both knees. I questioned the Surgeon on this issue at my post op appointment today as I read up on this 2 days ago. Asked why not informed or given any reading material on this prior. Response was not a quality of life issue so they don't inform there patients prior or after surgery unless asked. If this does not improve some I will wish i had not done this and just kept getting injections and sucked it up. My age is 52. 9/20/2020 02:42:16 pm
Most surgeons don't even discuss this numbness as it is unavoidable and tends not to bother patients very much, if at all. 9/24/2020 10:14:48 am
How long is the numbness expected to last. Mine has been there for 6 months now. Will it ever go away? 9/24/2020 07:02:24 pm
While the numbness is permanent, and an unavoidable aspect of knee replacement surgery (and any other knee operation that involves an anterior longitudinal incision), your awareness of this will decrease significantly as time goes on. I recommend gently touching the numb patch with your fingers, and with different textures while looking at the area. Your brain will gradually consider this strange feeling relatively normal again. While it can be surprising to some patients early after surgery, long-term it rarely presents much of an issue. The vast majority of patients consider this a small trade-off in return for the dramatically improved quality of life that follows knee replacement surgery.
Enid M. Natkins
10/23/2020 10:25:51 am
Just to commiserate with you, it will be a year since my right knee total replacement and I still have a lot of numbness on the outside of the right side of my knee. The knee definitely doesn't feel like a normal knee. I do have less pain than I used to have and going up and down stairs gives me no pain as it did before.
Debbie Anderson
9/28/2020 07:32:56 pm
I would also like to thank you for the informative explanation of the numbness experienced after TKR. I am 5 weeks out from a right knee replacement. PT going very well, but wanted to ask why I might be experiencing a tight band feeling over my entire knee area. It is much more annoying than the numbness on the outside of my knee. Hoping it goes away soon. Thanks in advance for any explanation. 9/28/2020 09:23:18 pm
I am glad you found this helpful. Rather than go into great detail about knee stiffness, I will direct you to another page in this website where I explain why knees feel stiff after knee replacement surgery, and how to successfully rehabilitate.
David kolosky
10/29/2020 11:41:53 am
I had both knees replaced August 25th 2020 experience the same numbness I have 125 degree Bend still experiencing trouble sleeping after reading your articles I think I'm very happy with my results having both knees done was how can I say very difficult for the first 2 months thank you so much for the information I feel a lot better
mdm Zana
11/3/2020 10:20:28 pm
Wow! i got so much useful info.from yr write up n the Q&A...i m 58 n had Tkr on my right knee on oct9th. recently. my knee seems to be doing alright post op n I ve been going for rehab frequently..However i m suffering drop foot post op n after a nerve study..the finding was a complete denervation of a branch of the peroneal nerve ..how common is this complication n if it can be repaired by a neurosurgeon for me to gain back dorsi flexion of my right foot..tq 11/8/2020 08:03:33 pm
Thankfully this is an uncommon complication. The risk is highest when a patient presents with a valgus knee (knock-kneed) with a flexion contracture (inability to fully extend) before surgery. When these deformities are corrected during surgery, this nerve will be stretched. In the vast majority of cases, the nerve can withstand this correction. While I am not sure if this was the case with your knee, it nonetheless happened. There is a chance of spontaneous recovery. Unless the nerve was actually severed (which is extraordinarily rare) I doubt a neurosurgeon can "repair" the nerve. There is a chance it could be decompressed (like we do for carpal tunnel syndrome). There is a small brace that can be used inside shoewear in cases of persistent foot drop that can help minimize any functional impairment.
Elaine McBane
11/28/2020 05:04:30 pm
I retain fluid at any time..Right leg TKR and the outside of my knee is swelling and pains at night...(Oct 28). hot..is this normal 12/7/2020 08:24:46 pm
At a month or so from surgery- it is normal for your knee to feel warm and swollen. Some pain is also to be expected. If you have significant fluid retention, worsening pain and/or redness- it should be evaluated by your surgeon. 11/29/2020 04:13:00 pm
I am 5 week post ops to left knee total replacement and I was wondering is it normal for me to experience the following. 12/7/2020 08:40:28 pm
Tightness, pain and swelling are normal early after knee replacement.
Maureen Golupski
12/3/2020 09:07:40 am
I am 55 yes old and had double knee replacement October 2, 2020. I was up walking the same day four times. I have to say the hardest part about the double knee replacement was the inability to sleep from five weeks to 9 weeks out. I had to ask for a sleep aid because of the pain of healing and restless legs had me up every half an hour to an hour every night. I am in my ninth week now and I’m starting to feel more rested, confident and experiencing less jolting pain. 12/7/2020 08:52:34 pm
Glad to hear you are doing well! Keep up the good work. I would expect you to experience ongoing improvement for many months yet to come.
Jo Ann Ennis
12/19/2020 04:29:10 pm
I had three 2 years ago. Have the numbness but also still have sharp pains down my shin bone. I notice this more at night because the pain wakes me up. Would this be still related to tkr? 12/22/2020 11:14:26 pm
While anything is possible, shin pain is not a typical complaint following knee replacement, particularly years later. This should probably be evaluated by your orthopedic surgeon. The differential diagnosis would include stress reaction/stress fracture/lumbar radiculopathy (pinched nerve).
LONNIE GUNDERSON
1/7/2021 07:42:09 am
I had total knee replacement 18 months ago, i still get swollen on a daily basis and i am numb all around the outside of my knee, is this normal? Im 60 years old, and had two knee scopes before full knee replacement ( work comp case) and what degree would you normally rate i should be at percentage wise for disability? i live in wisconsin. Thanks 1/7/2021 08:34:14 pm
As explained in this preceding article, numbness lateral to the knee incision is totally normal and unavoidable. If Wisconsin worker's compensation guidelines are similar to those in New York, a typical, well rehabilitated knee replacement results in a 35-50% loss of use of the leg due to removal of bone, and less than normal range of motion at the knee. This would be the case even with a well-rehabilitated, pain-free knee replacement. Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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