In one embodiment, a torque-compensating assistive wrist brace includes a hand member adapted to be provided on a user's hand, a forearm member adapted to be provided on the user's forearm, and an assistive linkage that connects the hand and forearm members together and that applies a balancing torque to a wrist of the user that counteracts intrinsic stiffness within the wrist and assists the user in rotating the wrist in both the flexion and extension directions.