Distal radius
Also called: distal radius fracture, wrist fracture site
What it means
The distal radius is the end of the forearm bone near the wrist, and it's one of the most common spots for a fracture when someone falls onto an outstretched hand.
A weak distal radius means even a simple trip-and-catch-yourself fall could break your wrist.
The distal radius is the end of the radius bone, right at the wrist, closest to the hand. It has a good amount of spongy trabecular bone, and it's one of the three classic sites for osteoporotic fragility fractures, along with the hip and spine. A distal radius fracture is often called a Colles' fracture when the broken piece angles backward.
Most of these breaks happen when someone falls onto an outstretched hand — often called a FOOSH injury — trying to catch themselves during a fall. Because the wrist takes the full force of the fall through the arm, even a modest stumble can be enough to fracture it if the bone has lost strength.
Bone researchers note that cortical porosity (tiny internal spaces forming within the hard outer bone) increases with age and can weaken the distal radius in ways a standard DXA scan doesn't fully capture. Because this bone responds to the specific direction it's loaded in, some people include exercises that load the arms and grip, rather than just the hips or spine, as part of their overall bone health routine. Any changes to activity or treatment should be discussed with your doctor.
A weak distal radius can break even from a simple trip-and-catch-yourself fall.
Where this leads
WordSince the distal radius breaks easily in falls, it helps to see how it fits into the whole wrist joint and why wrist fractures matter.
Where the Academy teaches it
This page is the short version. The lessons teach it in full, with the context around it and a quiz to lock it in.
Related words
A Colles' fracture is a break in the distal radius, the forearm bone near the wrist, usually from falling onto an…
The radius is the forearm bone on the thumb side, running from the elbow to the wrist, and its lower end is a common…
The ulna is the long bone on the pinky side of your forearm, stretching from your elbow to your wrist.
The wrist is the joint where the hand meets the forearm, made up of small carpal bones plus the ends of the radius…
Cortical bone is the dense, hard outer layer of bone that forms a protective shell and resists bending and twisting…
Fall risk is how likely you are to fall, and it matters because falling—not just weak bones—is the most common cause…
Education only, not medical advice. Decisions about tests, medications and treatment belong with your own doctor. OsteoStrong does not diagnose, treat or cure any disease.
