One sign of numbness is a lack of feeling and tingling in the knee joint.
This tingling and numbness can occasionally travel up or down the leg.
Numbness in the knee can have a variety of causes, from a recent injury to a long-term illness.
Continue reading to find out more about the reasons, other symptoms, treatments, and other topics.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
✅ Knee numbness may be caused by something as simple as crossing your legs or pinching the nerve with your clothing.
✅ But it might also be brought on by an illness or accident.
✅ If you develop knee numbness that limits your mobility and interferes with your everyday activities, consult your doctor.
✅ Generally speaking, the sooner a doctor treats an injury, the better the outcome.
Causes
Your body contains a large number of nerves that control movement, sense of touch, temperature, and other things. Numbness may result from injury or compression to these nerves.
Nerve compression externally
Numbness can occasionally be brought on by external pressure on the knee and leg. This is valid if the wearer is sporting tight garments, knee braces, or thigh-high compression hosiery.
Numbness may occur if the clothing is overly tight and blocks a person’s blood flow or squeezes a cutaneous nerve.
Due to how their leg is positioned, a person may also experience brief numbness in their knees. Nerves may be compressed when wearing stirrups for procedures like pelvic exams or surgery. Knee numbness can even result from crossing your legs too frequently.
Injuries
Knee numbness may result from recent trauma to the kneecap, leg, or area behind the knee. As an illustration, an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury can result in swelling and inflammation, which causes numbness in the knee.
According to a 2013 study, knee numbness can also occur in people who accidentally burn the front or back of their knees while using heating pads or hot water bottles.
Arthritis
The disorder known as arthritis results in swelling and joint pain. Since the knee joints undergo significant wear and tear from regular activities and exercise, it particularly affects them.
Some arthritis sufferers report impaired sensory perception. An individual may also feel numbness and tingling in addition to pain.
Diabetic nerve damage
Diabetes can cause diabetic neuropathy, a condition where the nerves are damaged. Peripheral neuropathy affects the nerves in the feet and legs and comes in various forms.
Symptoms of diabetic neuropathy frequently begin in the feet. They include discomfort, tingling, numbness, and weakness. These symptoms can sometimes reach the knees in certain persons.
Fibromyalgia
For unexplained reasons, fibromyalgia is a disorder that results in muscle discomfort and exhaustion. It can create symptoms like muscular discomfort and numbness, but it doesn’t harm the joints as arthritis does.
Some fibromyalgia sufferers have tender spots, which are body parts that might be painful, numb, or sensitive to touch. One of these regions is the knees.
Radiculitis
Radiculitis is an inflammation of one or more of the spinal column’s exiting nerves. Radiculitis is frequently brought on by narrow spinal canals, displaced spinal discs, or arthritis where the spinal bones can start to grind against one another.
It’s likely that back inflammation can induce tingling and numbness in the knee as well since the nerves that exit the spine can go down the leg. Some people notice that their legs feel weaker as the illness gets worse.
Operation on the knee
Following a total knee replacement, some individuals may develop knee numbness. During surgery, a surgeon may unintentionally damage the kneecap-area saphenous nerve.
According to research from a reliable source, the outer part of the knee is where most patients with knee numbness due to surgery experience it.
More signs and symptoms
You might experience various symptoms that affect your legs and back in addition to knee numbness. These signs include alterations in body temperature perception such as skin that feels extremely hot or cold, some knee discomfort, some pain that radiates down the leg from the buttocks, some swelling and tingling, and a feeling of weakness in the legs.
Treatments
The underlying cause usually determines the best course of treatment for numb knees. Before prescribing more invasive surgical procedures, a doctor’s goal is often to treat the patient with conservative methods.
Examples of at-home remedies for numbness and inflammation in the knees include:
- Utilizing an OTC pain reliever, such as ibuprofen (Advil) or naproxen sodium (Aleve).
- Applying an ice pack to the knee for 10-minute periods while wearing a cloth over it.
- Elevating the legs encourages the return of blood to the heart and lessens edema.
- Resting the injured knee, particularly if it shows signs of swelling.
Medications on prescription
Depending on your medical condition, a doctor could recommend specific medications in addition to home care methods.
For instance, a doctor may recommend drugs to treat diabetic neuropathy and fibromyalgia patients’ poor nerve transmission. Pregabalin and gabapentin (Neurontin) are two of these drugs (Lyrica).
In addition, doctors may recommend antidepressants or corticosteroids, which might lessen nerve pain in fibromyalgia sufferers.
Surgical solution
A doctor might advise surgery if knee numbness is brought on by an injury or compression of the spinal nerves caused by a bulging disk. A part of the bone resting on the nerves or the damaged disk material can be removed by a surgeon.
Relief from symptoms and prevention
Avoid crossing your legs for prolonged periods of time to stop knee numbness and its symptoms. Also avoid wearing tight clothing such as tights, certain jeans, and leggings. Instead, keep your feet flat on the floor or elevate them on a chair or bench. Additionally, you should avoid using compression stockings that are overly tight or any clothing that gives you the pins-and-needles sensation in your feet.
Consult your doctor if you frequently have knee numbness while using a knee brace. You might be able to wear it or change it in another way. Many people discover that keeping a healthy weight reduces knee numbness. A lot of weight is placed on the knees, which can cause irritation.
Try working out in a pool if knee pain and numbness are a problem for you. While relieving joint pressure, the water still helps you to burn calories.
If you have diabetes, keeping your blood sugar under control can help lower the chance of nerve damage. If your blood sugar is persistently excessively high, your doctor might want to change the dosage of your medications.
When should I go and see my doctor?
There are a few instances in which knee numbness constitutes a medical emergency.
Compressed nerves in your spine
The cauda equina syndrome is the first problem. When something severely compresses the nerve roots in the back, it can cause severe numbness and tingle in the legs. Additionally, they could have bowel and bladder incontinence.
Cauda equina syndrome typically results from a serious herniated disk. Because the nerves must be released from the pressure before they are irreparably harmed, it may be a medical emergency.
Stroke
A stroke is another medical issue that may result in numbness in the knee.
Numbness in the legs and knees is a probable stroke symptom even though it is uncommon. Dizziness, facial drooping, confusion, a severe headache, difficulties moving one side of the body, and other symptoms are also possible.
When the brain doesn’t receive enough blood flow, a stroke, often known as a “brain attack,” happens. Call 911 right once if you or someone around is having a stroke.
Recent trauma to the knee
As was already discussed, injuries can cause knee numbness. Consult a doctor immediately away if you’ve recently been hurt and your knee is hurting, tingling, or losing feeling.