Predicting the outcome of distal radius fractures

There are myriad factors that affect patient satisfaction following a distal radius fracture, including anatomic alignment, age, motion, pain,and hand dominance to name a few. The seeming contradictions in the literature serve to illustrate that individual outcomes are not entirely predict-able because of the different functional demands,expectations, and pain tolerance for each patient. Elderly populations may tolerate greater degrees of residual deformity because of a more sedentary lifestyle. Unrecognized intracarpal pathology may account for poor results despite acceptable radiographic alignment. Possessing a knowledge of the predictive factors that affect adversely the functional outcome, however, does allow the surgeon to manage complications proactively to maximize the potential for an acceptable end result.