What Is a Fracture of the Distal Radius?
A distal radius fracture is one of the most common kinds of fractures (a break in a bone) that can happen to the wrist. It is most commonly caused by falling on an extended hand and usually occurs in children and older adults. The radius is a bone in your forearm. The distal radius is the end of the forearm bone that is at the wrist. When a person falls on an outstretched hand, the hand suddenly becomes rigid, and the momentum from the fall will cause both a twisting force and a compressing force on your forearm. The kind of injury these forces are likely to cause depends on the age of the person who is injured. In children, and in older adults, such a fall is likely to result in a fracture of the radius. There are several types of fractures. • A non-displaced fracture is one in which the bone cracks and the broken pieces stay in alignment. An X-ray is needed to confirm the break. • A torus or ripple fracture that bends the back of the radius away from the growth plate. • A displaced f
