We describe a direct method of measuring the tightness of plaster casts. Tightness was measured weekly in 23 consecutive patients with Colles' fractures. Six had objective signs of algodystrophy nine weeks after the fracture. In these patients the plaster cast was significantly tighter during the first three weeks than in patients who did not develop algodystrophy. The complex relationship between these findings is discussed.

Darrach's procedure was performed for post-traumatic symptoms in the inferior radio-ulnar joint in 36 patients, who were reviewed after a mean follow-up of 6 years. Only 18 of the patients had a satisfactory clinical result. Poor outcome was associated with osteoarthritis of the wrist, the occurrence of algodystrophy and a short ulnar remnant.