If a person gets hit or slips, he first puts his hands on the ground to balance himself. This often causes great strain on the wrist and can lead to fractures. This problem can happen to people of any age, but it is more common in older and younger children particularly older women.

There are reasons why the distal radius fracture happens:

For children about ages 8 to 14, there is a period during which bones have grown longer because of growth spurts. But the bone mineral density has not yet caught up which leaves the newly-grown bones more vulnerable to fractures. Chances of fracture get increased, particularly during activities such as sports or play.

In the case of senior citizens, their hormone levels shift and bone mineral density starts to decrease. This is especially happening with women once they reach menopause. Their risk of a distal radius fracture begins to rise at age 50 and that risk doubles every 10 years. For men, the related risk is much later in their life, at the age of 80.

Falling onto a wrist is the most common cause of a distal radius fracture, people who actively participate in sports that involve potential falls, such as Kabaddi, Hockey, Football or Cricket, are also at greater risk for this injury.

Also, car accidents or similar traumatic events can also cause a distal radius fracture. But the majority of these cases are the result of falls.