From 10 days to 1 month, the fractures in the active group displaced significantly more than the fractures in the control group in dorsal angulation, radial angulation and axial compression. These findings suggest that plaster cast fixation of reduced distal radius fractures has a stabilising effect against displacement from 10 days to 1 month after reduction. If the plaster cast is removed 10 days after reduction, the fracture will displace significantly more than it would with continued fixation in a cast. However, the differences in displacement from 10 days to 1 month were small (4.5° in dorsal angulation, 2.0° in radial angulation and 0.5 mm in axial compression).