What Could Cause Numbness on the Side of the Knee?

Reviewed by Suo Lee, MD

Internal Medicine

Numbness on the side of the knee can happen when small skin nerves are hurt, especially during knee surgery like a knee replacement or high tibial osteotomy.

Explanation

When you have knee surgery, such as a total knee arthroplasty (knee replacement) or a high tibial osteotomy, doctors work near many small nerves which sense touch. Sometimes these nerves can accidentally be stretched, cut, or compressed while the surgeon works. When this happens, the area that the nerve serves may become numb after the surgery. Studies have shown that patients can have numbness around the knee in different patterns—like on the front or the side. In some cases, people with diabetes may feel these changes more, and modern surgical techniques are being perfected to avoid these problems. Even if the numbness seems annoying, it is usually not dangerous. However, it can make the skin feel less sensitive to touch. It is important to follow up with your doctor if the numbness bothers you or if you have other concerns after surgery, as they can help guide you through recovery and answer any questions about your healing process.

(References)

Black R, Green C, Sochart D. Postoperative numbness of the knee following total knee arthroplasty. Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 2013 Nov;95(8):565-8. doi: 10.1308/rcsann.2013.95.8.565. PMID: 24165337; PMCID: PMC4311531.
Phruetthiphat OA, Apinyankul R, Chanpoo M, Chotanaphuti T, Kosuwan W, Callaghan JJ. Anterior skin numbness after total knee arthroplasty: A prospective comparison study between diabetic and non-diabetic patients. J Orthop. 2020 Mar 25;22:12-16. doi: 10.1016/j.jor.2020.03.017. PMID: 32273667; PMCID: PMC7132145.
Tanavalee A, Limtrakul A, Veerasethsiri P, Amarase C, Ngarmukos S. Area of Skin Numbness After Total Knee Arthroplasty: Does Minimally Invasive Approach Make Any Difference From Standard Approach? J Arthroplasty. 2016 Nov;31(11):2499-2503. doi: 10.1016/j.arth.2016.04.002. Epub 2016 Apr 15. PMID: 27184467.
Kim KI, Juh HS, Kim GB, Lee SH. Lateral numbness in the lower leg: An underestimated complication following medial open-wedge high tibial osteotomy. Knee. 2019 Oct;26(5):1041-1048. doi: 10.1016/j.knee.2019.07.002. Epub 2019 Jul 23. PMID: 31350156.

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