Musculoskeletal System§ 4.71aUpdated
Rating criteria

VA Diagnostic Code 5056Ankle replacement (prosthesis)

Rated from 20% to 100% under § 4.71a. Here is what the VA requires at each level.

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In short

Summary

Prosthetic replacement of ankle joint. With intermediate degrees of residual weakness, pain or limitation of motion rate by analogy to 5270 or 5271.

The ladder

What each rating requires

The VA assigns the highest level your evidence actually supports. Read up the stack until your records stop matching.

  1. 100%

    For 1 year following implantation of prosthesis

  2. 40%

    With chronic residuals consisting of severe painful motion or weakness

  3. 20%

    Minimum rating

From the schedule

Notes on this code

These notes are part of the regulation. They change how the levels above are applied.

  • Note (1): When an evaluation is assigned for joint resurfacing or the prosthetic replacement of a joint under diagnostic codes 5051-5056, an additional rating under § 4.71a may not also be assigned for that joint, unless otherwise directed.
  • Note (2): Only evaluate a revision procedure in the same manner as the original procedure under diagnostic codes 5051-5056 if all the original components are replaced.
  • Note (3): The term âprosthetic replacementâ in diagnostic codes 5051-5053 and 5055-5056 means a total replacement of the named joint. However, in DC 5054, âprosthetic replacementâ means a total replacement of the head of the femur or of the acetabulum.
  • Note (4): The 100 percent rating for 1 year following implantation of prosthesis will commence after initial grant of the 1-month total rating assigned under § 4.30 following hospital discharge.
  • Note (5): The 100 percent rating for 4 months following implantation of prosthesis or resurfacing under DCs 5054 and 5055 will commence after initial grant of the 1-month total rating assigned under § 4.30 following hospital discharge.
  • Note (6): Special monthly compensation is assignable during the 100 percent rating period the earliest date permanent use of crutches is established.

Ankle Replacement (Prosthesis) — VA Disability Rating (Diagnostic Code 5056)

Body System: Musculoskeletal System Regulation: 38 CFR § 4.71a, Diagnostic Code 5056

What This Condition Covers

Diagnostic Code 5056 applies to the prosthetic replacement of the ankle joint — a total replacement of the named joint. If you have intermediate degrees of residual weakness, pain, or limitation of motion, the VA may rate the condition by analogy to Diagnostic Code 5270 or 5271.

Available Rating Levels

The VA uses the following rating levels for an ankle replacement under DC 5056:

RatingWhat It Reflects
100%For 1 year following implantation of the prosthesis
40%With chronic residuals consisting of severe painful motion or weakness
20%Minimum rating

What the VA Looks For

When rating an ankle replacement under DC 5056, the VA considers:

  • The prosthetic replacement itself — a total replacement of the ankle joint.
  • The time following implantation — a 100% rating applies for 1 year following implantation of the prosthesis.
  • Chronic residuals — such as severe painful motion or weakness, which may support a 40% rating.
  • Intermediate residuals — where residual weakness, pain, or limitation of motion falls between the defined levels, the VA rates by analogy to Diagnostic Code 5270 or 5271.
  • A minimum rating of 20% applies.

Important Rules to Know

  • No double rating for the same joint (Note 1): When an evaluation is assigned for joint resurfacing or prosthetic replacement of a joint under Diagnostic Codes 5051–5056, an additional rating under § 4.71a may not also be assigned for that joint, unless otherwise directed.
  • Revision procedures (Note 2): A revision procedure is only evaluated in the same manner as the original procedure under Diagnostic Codes 5051–5056 if all the original components are replaced.
  • Meaning of "prosthetic replacement" (Note 3): For Diagnostic Codes 5051–5053 and 5055–5056, "prosthetic replacement" means a total replacement of the named joint.
  • When the 100% rating begins (Note 4): The 100% rating for 1 year following implantation of the prosthesis will commence after the initial grant of the 1-month total rating assigned under § 4.30 following hospital discharge.
  • Special monthly compensation (Note 6): Special monthly compensation is assignable during the 100% rating period as of the earliest date permanent use of crutches is established.

This information is drawn from the VA rating schedule (38 CFR § 4.71a, Diagnostic Code 5056) and is provided for general educational purposes. Individual ratings depend on the specific facts of each claim.

These criteria are a rendering of § 4.71a, diagnostic code 5056. The official version is the one that governs your rating.

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What next

How to claim this

Knowing the criteria is the first half. Getting your file to show them is the second.

  1. Find your level in the stack

    Read each rung against what your medical records already say. The level your records document today is the one the VA can support today.

  2. Name the gap

    Look at the rung above yours and write down exactly what it asks for that your file does not show yet — a diagnosis, a measurement, a prescribed brace, a doctor’s opinion linking it to service.

  3. Claim it by code

    File under diagnostic code 5056 and attach the evidence for the level you are asking for. Other Musculoskeletal System codes may cover your secondary conditions.

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