An unanswered question about conservative treatment of reduced distal radius fractures is whether the maintenance of the reduction depends on the support provided by the plaster cast or by the fracture itself. The aim of this study was to compare the differences in radiographic displacement between plaster cast fixation for 10 days compared with fixation for 1 month after reduction in moderately displaced distal radius fractures. The hypothesis was that redisplacement during the course of healing depends more on the stability of the fracture itself than on the additional stability provided by the plaster cast.