Post-menopausal women who have suffered wrist fractures have been found to be deficient in vitamin D, a new study has revealed.

The study, which was presented at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, examined the issue of distal radius fractures (DRF), a common form of osteoporosis-related fracture.

The researchers examined the medical records of 104 post menopausal women treated for a DRF and compared them to 107 age-matched control patients with soft tissue disease. The results showed that 44% of the DRF patients had reduced levels of vitamin D compared to just 13% in the control group.