[Distal radius fracture: principles of conservative treatment]

The safe conservative treatment of distal radial fractures, aiming at excellent results, is based on a differentiating classification of fracture types. The main crucial implication is that there are instabile fractures that per se are not suit for conservative treatment. The timing of radiologic follow ups as well as of reposition maneuvers, if late dislocation should occur, the classical techniques (R. Jones, J. Charnley, L. Böhler) and A. Sarmiento's functional approach are furthermore presented.