VA Diagnostic Code 5208Forearm, flexion limited to 100° and extension to 45°
A single 20% rating under § 4.71a. Here is what the VA requires for it.
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- 20%20% non-dominant
Forearm, flexion limited to 100° and extension to 45°
Notes on this code
These notes are part of the regulation. They change how the levels above are applied.
- Note: In all the forearm and wrist injuries, codes 5205 through 5213, multiple impaired finger movements due to tendon tie-up, muscle or nerve injury, are to be separately rated and combined not to exceed rating for loss of use of hand.
Limited Forearm Motion (Flexion to 100° and Extension to 45°) — VA Diagnostic Code 5208
Musculoskeletal System · 38 CFR § 4.71a · Diagnostic Code 5208
What This Rating Covers
This VA disability rating applies when an elbow or forearm injury restricts your range of motion so that flexion is limited to 100° (how far you can bend your arm) and extension is limited to 45° (how far you can straighten it).
Because both limitations occur together, this specific combination is recognized under Diagnostic Code 5208.
Available Rating Level
Under Diagnostic Code 5208, there is a single rating level:
| Rating | What It Reflects |
|---|---|
| 20% | Forearm flexion limited to 100° and extension limited to 45° |
For this code, the rating is 20% whether the affected arm is your dominant (major) or non-dominant (minor) extremity.
What the VA Looks For
- Measured range of motion in the affected forearm — specifically whether flexion is limited to 100° and extension is limited to 45°.
- Whether both of these limitations are present, since this code addresses that particular combination.
Related Considerations
- Finger movement impairments: Per the VA's note for forearm and wrist injuries (Diagnostic Codes 5205 through 5213), if you have multiple impaired finger movements due to tendon tie-up, muscle injury, or nerve injury, those are to be rated separately and combined — but the combined rating cannot exceed the rating for loss of use of the hand.
This information summarizes the VA rating schedule for Diagnostic Code 5208 under 38 CFR § 4.71a. It is provided for general educational purposes and does not guarantee any particular rating or outcome.
These criteria are a rendering of § 4.71a, diagnostic code 5208. The official version is the one that governs your rating.
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