Wrist drop

Wrist drop, as the name suggests, is a medical condition in which the wrist and the fingers cannot extend at the metacarpophalangeal joints.

How does it work?

The wrist remains partially flexed due to an opposing action of flexor muscles of the forearm. As a result, the extensor muscles in the posterior compartment remain paralyzed.

Causes

• An illness in the whole body that damages a single nerve
• Direct injury to the nerve
• Long-term pressure on the nerve
• Pressure on the nerve caused by swelling or injury of nearby body structures
• Radial neuropathy occurs when there is damage to the radial nerve, which travels down the arm and controls:
• Movement of the triceps muscle at the back of the upper arm
• Ability to bend the wrist and fingers backward
• Movement and sensation of the wrist and hand
• When damage destroys the nerve covering (myelin sheath) or part of the nerve itself, nerve signaling is slowed or prevented.
• Damage to the radial nerve can be caused by:
• Broken arm bone and other injury
• Diabetes
• Improper use of crutches
• Lead poisoning
• Long-term pressure on the nerve, usually caused by swelling or injury of nearby body structures
• Pressure to the upper arm from arm positions during sleep or coma
• In some cases, no cause can be found.

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