What hand function is particularly affected by radial nerve damage?

Radial nerve damage primarily affects wrist extension due to the nerve's role in innervating the extensor muscles of the forearm. These muscles are responsible for extending the wrist and fingers. When the radial nerve is compromised, the ability to extend the wrist is diminished, resulting in a condition often referred to as wrist drop. This impairment directly limits the functional position of the hand and affects overall hand function but particularly compromises the ability to sustain the wrist in an extended position, which is critical for many activities, including gripping and object manipulation.

While fine motor control, power grip, and finger opposition may be impacted to some extent due to the overall weakness and instability of the wrist, the most direct and immediate consequence of radial nerve injury is the inability to extend the wrist. This makes the function of wrist extension the most notable and specific deficit associated with radial nerve damage.