VA Disability Rating for Ankle Injuries: Range of Motion Criteria and 2026 Pay Rates
Ankle injuries are among the most common orthopedic injuries in military service — paratroopers, infantrymen, and anyone who has navigated uneven terrain under load knows the ankle pays the price. Sprains, fractures, and chronic instability are often service-connected, but many veterans receive ratings far below what their actual functional limitation warrants. This guide walks through exactly how the VA rates ankle conditions, what range-of-motion values trigger each rating, and the secondary conditions that can compound your claim's value.
Talk to a Free VA Attorney Today
Ankle claims are routinely under-rated. A VA-accredited attorney reviews your case at no cost and gets paid only if you win.
Connect with a Free VA Attorney →Regulatory Basis
The VA rates ankle conditions under the following Diagnostic Codes (DCs) in 38 CFR Part 4, Schedule for Rating Disabilities:
- DC 5270 — Ankylosis of the ankle
- DC 5271 — Limited motion of the ankle
- DC 5272 — Ankylosis of the subastragalar or tarsal joint
- DC 5273 — Malunion of the os calcis or astragalus
- DC 5274 — Astragalectomy
Also critical to ankle claims: 38 CFR § 4.59 (painful motion) and 38 CFR § 4.40 (functional loss). These provisions protect veterans whose measured range of motion understates their actual disability.
Normal Ankle Range of Motion
The VA uses normal range-of-motion (ROM) values as a baseline when determining your rating. A C&P examiner will compare your measured ROM against these normals:
| Movement | Normal Range | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Dorsiflexion | 0° – 20° | Foot moving upward (toes toward shin) |
| Plantar Flexion | 0° – 45° | Foot moving downward (toes pointing) |
Tip: These normals are stated in the VA's Physician's Guide for Disability Evaluations. If a C&P examiner uses different baseline values, flag this in your Notice of Disagreement or supplemental claim.
Rating Criteria — Limited Motion (DC 5271)
DC 5271 is the most commonly applied code for ankle injuries. It rates your ankle based on how much your range of motion is reduced compared to normal:
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 0% | ROM less than normal but greater than the criteria for a higher rating |
| 10% | Dorsiflexion limited to 10° OR plantar flexion limited to 30° or less |
| 20% | Dorsiflexion limited to 0° — no dorsiflexion beyond neutral position |
Important: Many veterans with a documented ankle injury receive a 0% rating even when their ROM is clearly restricted. If your dorsiflexion is between 10°–19° or your plantar flexion is between 31°–44°, you are still eligible for a 10% rating when combined with painful motion under § 4.59.
Rating Criteria — Ankylosis (DC 5270)
Ankylosis means the ankle joint is fused — completely immobile due to bone growth, surgical fusion, or severe scarring. Ankylosis ratings depend on the position in which the ankle is fixed:
| Rating | Position | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 20% | Favorable | Ankylosis in plantar flexion at less than 30°, or in dorsiflexion at 0°–10° |
| 30% | Intermediate | Ankylosis in plantar flexion between 30°–50° |
| 40% | Unfavorable | Ankylosis in plantar flexion greater than 50° OR in dorsiflexion greater than 10° |
A "favorable" ankylosis position allows for relatively normal walking posture. An "unfavorable" position forces a severely abnormal gait and qualifies for the highest rating.
Painful Motion — The 10% Floor
Under 38 CFR § 4.59, any painful motion of a joint warrants at least a minimum 10% compensable rating — even if the measured range of motion technically exceeds the criteria for a higher rating.
What this means for you: If your ankle moves through its full range but causes pain throughout the motion, you are entitled to at least 10%. The VA cannot assign a 0% rating to a joint that is clearly painful.
At your C&P exam, tell the examiner at exactly what degree pain begins for both dorsiflexion and plantar flexion. The examiner is required to note this in their report. If they don't, your claim may be under-rated — and that's grounds for a supplemental claim.
Flare-Ups and Functional Loss
Under 38 CFR § 4.40, the VA must consider functional loss caused by pain, weakness, or incoordination during flare-ups — not only the range of motion observable at the examination on a good day.
C&P exams are snapshots. They often happen on a relatively good day, in a climate-controlled office, after sitting in a waiting room. This systematically underestimates actual disability.
What to do: Submit a detailed personal statement describing your worst-day ankle function. Address specifically:
- How often flare-ups occur and what triggers them
- Whether your ankle swells, locks, gives way, or buckles
- How long flare-ups last and how they limit daily activities
- Impact on work, sleep, and mobility
If your C&P examiner does not mention flare-ups in their report, this is a ratable error. Request a new examination or submit a nexus letter from your treating physician explicitly addressing flare-up severity.
Secondary Conditions from Ankle Injuries
A service-connected ankle injury can anchor secondary claims that significantly increase your combined rating. Don't leave these on the table.
Knee, Hip & Back Pain — Altered Gait
An ankle injury changes your walking mechanics. Over time, compensation patterns cause knee pain, hip pain, and lower back pain on the same or opposite side — this is medically well-documented. These are ratable as secondary conditions through gait derangement, applying the same logical chain as DC 5252 (hip gait derangement). A treating physician's nexus letter connecting the gait abnormality to your ankle is the key evidence.
Plantar Fasciitis
Chronic ankle instability alters foot mechanics and biomechanics, placing abnormal stress on the plantar fascia. Plantar fasciitis is a common secondary condition from ankle injuries and is rated under DC 5399–5276. Get a physician opinion connecting the plantar fasciitis to the altered gait or weight distribution from your service-connected ankle.
Depression & Anxiety
Chronic pain and mobility limitations from ankle injuries can cause or worsen mental health conditions. Under 38 CFR § 3.310, a mental health condition proximately caused or aggravated by a service-connected disability is itself service-connected. A mental health nexus letter from your treating provider is sufficient to establish this link.
Service Connection for Ankle Injuries
The VA recognizes three main pathways to service connection for ankle conditions:
- Direct service connection: An ankle injury documented in service records — sick call visits, emergency room notes, medical board findings, or buddy statements from fellow service members who witnessed the injury or its effects.
- Aggravation: A pre-existing ankle weakness (e.g., prior sports injury) that was permanently worsened beyond its natural progression by military service — heavy ruck loads, repeated jumping, uneven terrain, obstacle courses.
- Secondary service connection: An ankle condition that developed secondary to another already-SC condition. Example: gait altered by a SC knee condition → repetitive stress on the ankle → ankle stress fracture or tendinopathy.
High-Risk MOSs
Veterans in the following Military Occupational Specialties have elevated rates of ankle injury and should assert this context in their claims:
- 11B — Infantry
- 18 Series — Special Forces
- Airborne and parachute units (82nd, 101st ABN, SOCOM)
- Combat engineers
- Artillery crews
- Any MOS requiring extended field operations, ruck marching, or jump operations
Building Your Claim — Evidence Checklist
A strong ankle claim requires layered evidence. Use this checklist before submitting:
- Service treatment records documenting ankle injury or treatment (sick call, sick bay, emergency room)
- Current imaging (X-ray, MRI) showing structural damage, arthritis, or instability
- Goniometer range-of-motion measurements from a treating physician, ideally during a flare-up
- Physician letter explicitly documenting pain during motion (§ 4.59 language)
- Personal statement describing worst-day function, flare-up frequency, and limitations
- Buddy statement from a fellow veteran or family member witnessing limping, instability, or limitation
- Secondary condition nexus letters (knee, hip, back, plantar fasciitis, mental health if applicable)
Talk to a Free VA Attorney Today
If your ankle claim was denied, rated too low, or ignored secondary conditions — an attorney can help you appeal at no upfront cost.
Get a Free Case Review →2026 VA Disability Pay Rates for Ankle Injuries
The following compensation rates apply to veterans with no dependents, effective December 2025 (paid in 2026). Veterans with dependents (spouse, children, dependent parents) receive higher rates.
| Rating | Monthly (No Dependents) | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $175.51 | $2,106 |
| 20% | $346.95 | $4,163 |
| 30% | $537.42 | $6,449 |
| 40% | $671.59 | $8,059 |
Remember: These rates are for the ankle rating alone. If you combine your ankle rating with secondary conditions (knee, back, mental health), your combined rating — and total compensation — will be substantially higher. VA math uses the whole person combined ratings formula, not simple addition.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the VA disability rating for an ankle injury?
Most ankle injuries are rated at 10%–20% under DC 5271 (limited motion). A 10% rating requires dorsiflexion limited to 10° or plantar flexion limited to 30°. A 20% rating requires no dorsiflexion beyond neutral. Ankylosis (fused ankle) rates 20%–40% depending on the position of fusion. Painful motion under 38 CFR § 4.59 warrants at least a 10% rating regardless of measured ROM.
Can I get secondary conditions rated with my ankle disability?
Yes. Ankle injuries commonly cause secondary conditions including knee pain and arthritis (from altered gait), plantar fasciitis, and hip or lower back problems. These can be service-connected as secondary to your ankle disability under 38 CFR § 3.310, with a nexus letter from a treating physician linking the secondary condition to your service-connected ankle injury.
How does the VA measure ankle range of motion at a C&P exam?
The examiner measures dorsiflexion (foot moving upward) and plantar flexion (foot moving downward) using a goniometer. Normal dorsiflexion is 0–20° and plantar flexion is 0–45°. Tell the examiner where pain begins during each movement — under 38 CFR § 4.59, painful motion must be treated as limited motion for rating purposes. If the examiner does not document where pain begins, your rating may be incorrectly low.