133 patients with a distal radius fracture scheduled for open reduction and internal fixation with a volar plate were randomized to a postoperative immobilization period for 1 week, 3 weeks, or 6 weeks. Primary outcomes included wrist function, pain, and range of motion in wrist extension and forearm supination. Follow-up was performed at 6 weeks, 12 weeks, and 26 weeks postoperatively. Results demonstrated significantly better results related to the Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation, visual analog scales for pain, and active range of wrist extension at 6 weeks for patients allocated to immobilization for only 1 or 3 weeks as compared to patients allocated to immobilization for 6 weeks. Differences between the three groups for results at 12 and 26 weeks were not statistically significant. Loss of fracture position over follow-up was more frequent among patients allocated with 1-week immobilization (n=4) as compared to 3-week (n=0) or 6-week (n=1) immobilization, although the difference was not statistically significant.