Radial Nerve Palsy Therapy

Wrist drop and finger weakness from a nerve injury are recoverable — the right therapy makes a real difference.

The radial nerve runs from your neck, down the back of your arm, and into your hand, where it controls your ability to extend your wrist, fingers, and thumb. When this nerve gets compressed or injured — from a humerus fracture, prolonged pressure on the arm, or a nerve laceration — you can lose the ability to lift your wrist or extend your fingers, a classic presentation known as wrist drop.

What is radial nerve palsy?

Radial nerve palsy can feel alarming — your wrist drops forward and your fingers won't lift when you try to open your hand. The good news is that nerve injuries, when managed correctly, often recover with time and targeted therapy. The type and degree of recovery depends on whether the nerve was stretched, compressed, or cut — but even in more significant injuries, the right rehab approach preserves function while the nerve heals.

Medical professional examining a patient's arm and wrist joint for nerve function assessment
Therapist assisting a patient with arm stretching exercises to restore nerve function

Who gets radial nerve palsy?

We see radial nerve palsy after humeral fractures (often from a fall), after prolonged compression of the arm — sometimes called Saturday night palsy when someone falls asleep with their arm compressed — and after surgeries involving the upper arm. Occasionally it develops from crutch use or repetitive compression at the elbow. If you've noticed that your wrist feels weak or hangs when you lift your arm, that's worth getting evaluated sooner rather than later.

How do we treat it at Reach Beyond Therapy?

At Reach Beyond Therapy, every session is one-on-one — just you and your therapist, no aides, no rushing, no shortened sessions, and no shared appointments with other clients. For radial nerve palsy, we fabricate a dynamic wrist and finger extension splint that holds your hand in a functional position while the nerve regenerates — so you can still use your hand in daily life rather than losing strength and range of motion while you wait. We layer in nerve gliding exercises, sensory re-education as sensation returns, and progressive strengthening as the nerve signal comes back. Your timeline is yours, and we move at the pace the nerve dictates.

Experiencing wrist drop or finger weakness after an injury?

Don't wait — early intervention in nerve injuries can preserve function and speed recovery. Book a free discovery consult today.

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Serving the South Bay

Nerve Recovery Takes the Right Support — We Provide It.

Reach Beyond Therapy proudly serves Redondo Beach, Torrance, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, El Segundo, and Palos Verdes with expert hand therapy, custom splinting, and post-operative rehabilitation by a Certified Hand Therapist with over 10 years of experience.

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