VA Diagnostic Code 5250Hip, ankylosis of:
Rated from 60% to 90% under § 4.71a. Here is what the VA requires at each level.
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What each rating requires
The VA assigns the highest level your evidence actually supports. Read up the stack until your records stop matching.
- 90%
Unfavorable, extremely unfavorable ankylosis, the foot not reaching ground, crutches necessitated
- 70%
Intermediate
- 60%
Favorable, in flexion at an angle between 20° and 40°, and slight adduction or abduction
Notes on this code
These notes are part of the regulation. They change how the levels above are applied.
- 3 Entitled to special monthly compensation.
Hip Ankylosis (VA Diagnostic Code 5250)
Understanding your VA disability rating for ankylosis of the hip.
Body System: Musculoskeletal System · Regulation: 38 CFR § 4.71a · Diagnostic Code 5250
What This Condition Is
Ankylosis of the hip refers to the hip joint becoming stiffened or fused, limiting or eliminating its normal range of motion. Under Diagnostic Code 5250, the VA evaluates hip ankylosis as part of the musculoskeletal system.
Available Rating Levels
The VA assigns a disability rating based on the severity of the ankylosis and how it affects the position and function of the hip and leg:
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 90% | Unfavorable, extremely unfavorable ankylosis, the foot not reaching ground, crutches necessitated |
| 70% | Intermediate |
| 60% | Favorable, in flexion at an angle between 20° and 40°, and slight adduction or abduction |
What the VA Looks For
When evaluating hip ankylosis under this code, the VA considers factors such as:
- The favorability of the ankylosis — whether it is favorable, intermediate, or unfavorable/extremely unfavorable.
- The angle and position of the joint — for the 60% level, whether the hip is fixed in flexion at an angle between 20° and 40°, with slight adduction or abduction.
- The impact on standing and walking — including whether the foot reaches the ground and whether crutches are necessitated, as noted at the 90% level.
Additional Note
- A rating under this diagnostic code may carry entitlement to special monthly compensation.
This information is provided for general educational purposes and is drawn directly from the VA rating schedule. It does not guarantee any particular rating or outcome.
These criteria are a rendering of § 4.71a, diagnostic code 5250. 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.
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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 5250 and attach the evidence for the level you are asking for. Other Musculoskeletal System codes may cover your secondary conditions.
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