Conditions / Musculoskeletal
38 CFR 4.71a, diagnostic code 5271 · checked 2026-10-20
VA rating for Ankle limited motion
VA rates Ankle limited motion under diagnostic code 5271 (Ankle, limited motion of) at 2 levels from 10% to 20%. The lowest paid level, 10%, is worth $180.42 a month and the highest, 20%, $356.66 to a veteran alone at the rates effective December 1, 2025.
- 1Diagnostic code DC 5271
- 2Highest level 20% · $356.66
- 3Lowest paid level 10% · $180.42
Rating criteria for DC 5271
| Rating | What the schedule requires |
|---|---|
| 20% | Marked: less than 5 degrees of dorsiflexion or less than 10 degrees of plantar flexion. |
| 10% | Moderate: less than 15 degrees of dorsiflexion or less than 30 degrees of plantar flexion. |
Summarized from eCFR, 38 CFR 4.71a Schedule of ratings, musculoskeletal system, diagnostic code 5271, checked 2026-10-20. The regulation's own wording governs.
What each level pays
| Level | Alone | With spouse | With tinnitus 10% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20% | $356.66 | $356.66 | 28 → 30% |
| 10% | $180.42 | $180.42 | 19 → 20% |
Every compensable level of this code is below 30%, so on its own it is paid at the flat 10% or 20% rate and dependents add nothing; combined with other ratings it can still lift the total past 30%. The spread from the lowest paid level to the highest is $176.24 a month. The last column shows the combined rating if this condition is joined by a 10% tinnitus rating.
Both sides: the bilateral factor
Ankle limited motion affects a leg or foot, so when both sides are rated, 38 CFR 4.26 applies. Two ratings of 10% combine to 19; the bilateral factor adds 10% of that, giving 21, rated 20%. With 20% on one side and 10% on the other, the paired value is 31, rated 30%. Other ratings on paired limbs join the same bilateral group; the bilateral factor guide shows how.
How this rating fits a claim
No level of this code reaches the 40% that 38 CFR 4.16(a) looks for in one disability, so it adds to a combined rating rather than anchoring one. A rating under DC 5271 is combined with every other rating by Table I, never added; the calculator shows the result with your other ratings and dependents.
The rating is set from the evidence at the time of the decision, usually including a VA examination. If the condition has worsened since, VA accepts a claim for an increase on VA Form 21-526EZ; see how to request an increase.
Related conditions
- Degenerative arthritis (DC 5003)
- Shoulder replacement (DC 5051)
- Hip replacement (DC 5054)
- Knee replacement (DC 5055)
- Shoulder (arm) limitation of motion (DC 5201)
Pay at the top level: 20% VA pay. At the lowest paid level: 10% VA pay.
Rating Ledger is not part of VA and does not file or decide claims. Amounts are VA's published monthly rates effective December 1, 2025 for a veteran, before any deduction or special monthly compensation; ratings follow 38 CFR 4.25 and 38 CFR 4.26 and 38 CFR 4.71a, diagnostic code 5271. Last checked 2026-10-20. Only a VA rating decision sets a rating or a payment. See the methodology.