VA Diagnostic Code 5228Thumb, limitation of motion
Rated from 0% to 20% under § 4.71a. Here is what the VA requires at each level.
Not the right code?
What each rating requires
The VA assigns the highest level your evidence actually supports. Read up the stack until your records stop matching.
- 20%20% non-dominant
With a gap of more than two inches (5.1 cm.) between the thumb pad and the fingers, with the thumb attempting to oppose the fingers
- 10%10% non-dominant
With a gap of one to two inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm.) between the thumb pad and the fingers, with the thumb attempting to oppose the fingers
- 0%0% non-dominant
With a gap of less than one inch (2.5 cm.) between the thumb pad and the fingers, with the thumb attempting to oppose the fingers
Thumb, Limitation of Motion (VA Diagnostic Code 5228)
Understanding This Rating
Body System: Musculoskeletal System Regulation: 38 CFR § 4.71a — Diagnostic Code 5228
Limitation of motion of the thumb affects how well the thumb can move and function — specifically, its ability to reach across the hand toward the fingers. The thumb plays a central role in gripping, pinching, and handling objects, so reduced motion can impact everyday activities.
Under this diagnostic code, the VA measures how far the thumb can move when it attempts to touch (oppose) the fingers. The rating is based on the size of the gap between the thumb pad and the fingers during this movement.
Available Rating Levels
The VA assigns one of the following disability ratings based on the measured gap. These ratings apply to both the dominant and non-dominant (minor) hand.
| Rating | What It Reflects |
|---|---|
| 20% | A gap of more than two inches (5.1 cm) between the thumb pad and the fingers, with the thumb attempting to oppose the fingers |
| 10% | A gap of one to two inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm) between the thumb pad and the fingers, with the thumb attempting to oppose the fingers |
| 0% | A gap of less than one inch (2.5 cm) between the thumb pad and the fingers, with the thumb attempting to oppose the fingers |
For this diagnostic code, the rating percentages are the same whether the affected thumb is on the dominant or non-dominant (minor) extremity.
What the VA Looks For
When rating thumb limitation of motion under Diagnostic Code 5228, the VA focuses on:
- The gap distance between the thumb pad and the fingers when the thumb attempts to oppose (reach toward) the fingers.
- The measurement of that gap, expressed in inches and centimeters, which determines which of the three rating levels applies.
The larger the gap when the thumb tries to touch the fingers, the higher the assigned rating.
These criteria are a rendering of § 4.71a, diagnostic code 5228. The official version is the one that governs your rating.
View official sourceHow to claim this
Knowing the criteria is the first half. Getting your file to show them is the second.
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.
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.
Claim it by code
File under diagnostic code 5228 and attach the evidence for the level you are asking for. Other Musculoskeletal System codes may cover your secondary conditions.
Find out which rating your evidence supports.
Six reads your records against these exact criteria and tells you what the VA is still missing.
Start for freeAll 159 Musculoskeletal System codes →