A Prospective Investigation of Conservative Care for Grade IV Femoral Neck Stress Fractures and “Flash Signs” in Military Trainees

The goal of this project is to evaluate whether conservative management of Grade IV femoral neck stress fractures (50–75% involvement) improves military retention and reduces separation compared to surgical treatment, while also assessing the predictive value of the flash sign, the reliability of fracture grading between providers, and differences in cost, recovery timelines, and health outcomes across treatment approaches.