[Objective] To investigate the effect of pronator quadratus reattachment on the early clinical outcome of open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of distal radial fracture by Henry approach. [Methods] A retrospective study was conducted on 52 patients who re- ceived ORIF for AO type C distal radial fractures by Henry approach in our department from January 2018 to August 2019. According to the preoperative doctor-patient communication, 20 patients had the pronator quadratus reattached with suture (RA) following ORIF, while the other 32 patients remained the muscle in non-reattachment (NR) by suture. The perioperative and short-term follow-up data of the two groups were compared. [Results] All patients in both groups had the corresponding operations performed successfully, with no significant differences in terms of operation time, incision length, incision healing grade and hospital stay between the two groups (P＞0.05) . With time of the followed- up period lasted for more than 3 months after surgery, the VAS score for pain wrist flexion- extension range of motion (ROM) , radio- ulnar deviation ROM and forearm pronation- supination ROM significantly improved in both groups (P＜0.05) . The RA group proved significantly superior to the NR group in terms of VAS score at 1 week and 1 month postoperatively [(3.3±0.5) vs (5.3±1.3) , P＜ 0.001; (2.5±0.8) vs (3.2±1.0) , P=0.008] , as well as the forearm pronation-supination ROM 1 month after surgery [(90.3±15.9)° vs (79.6± 9.5)° , P=0.011] . According to Gartland-Werley criteria 3 months after surgery, the excellent and good rate of joint function was 18/2 (90.0%) in the RA group, while 24/4 (78.0%) in NR group, which was not statistically significant (P＞0.05) . [Conclusion] The pronator qua- dratus reattachment in open reduction internal fixation by Henry approach for distal radial fractures does effectively relieve postoperative pain and improve postoperative forearm rotational motion.