Kentucky Woman Warns of “Dinosaur Hands” After Husband Suffers Nerve Injury From Sleeping Position
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Kentucky woman’s viral TikTok is raising awareness about an unusual but dangerous sleep habit she calls “dinosaur hands,” after her husband suffered a serious nerve injury that left him disabled, according to BroBible .
The Viral Warning
In her video, TikTok user Mikayla (@_mikaylahammons) explained that her husband had fallen asleep on the couch with his hand tucked under his head, a position she nicknamed “dinosaur hands.”
“When he woke up, he thought his arm was just asleep. But he couldn’t move his hand, couldn’t move his fingers. His hand was stuck,” she said.
Doctors later diagnosed him with radial nerve palsy, also called “Saturday night palsy,” caused by prolonged compression of the radial nerve that runs from the upper arm to the hand.
Long-Term Consequences
The condition left him unable to feel or use much of his arm and hand, forcing him to wear a brace and undergo therapy.
“You can literally take needles and poke his arm, pinch them, anything. He’s not feeling it,” Mikayla explained.
Her husband has since been sidelined from work because doctors won’t approve him for physical labor while the nerve damage remains.
What Doctors Say About Radial Nerve Palsy
According to the Mount Sinai Health Library, radial nerve palsy occurs when the nerve is compressed for long periods, sometimes by something as simple as an awkward sleeping position.
Common symptoms include:
- Numbness or tingling in the back of the hand and fingers
- Weakness in grip strength
- Inability to properly bend the wrist or straighten the elbow
Treatment may include splints or braces, physical therapy, and in severe cases, surgery. While many recover in weeks or months, some patients face lasting numbness or weakness.
“Most people recover once the nerve is no longer compressed, but healing can take weeks or months,” experts noted.
Social Media Reactions
The video has received more than 400,000 views, with many commenters sharing their own close calls.
“Completely paralyzed my left arm from the elbow down from a 30-minute nap in my computer chair,” one viewer wrote.
“This happened to a patient of mine. It was like that for 4 months. Then resolved,” another commenter added.
The unusual case underscores the importance of being mindful about sleeping posture and recognizing symptoms that may require urgent care. For more health and community updates, visit ChicagoMusicGuide.com.