VA Diagnostic Code 5271Ankle, limited motion of:
Rated from 10% 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%
Marked (less than 5 degrees dorsiflexion or less than 10 degrees plantar flexion)
- 10%
Moderate (less than 15 degrees dorsiflexion or less than 30 degrees plantar flexion)
Limited Motion of the Ankle (VA Diagnostic Code 5271)
Understanding how the VA rates reduced range of motion in the ankle.
What This Condition Is
Diagnostic Code 5271 covers limited motion of the ankle under the Musculoskeletal System. When an ankle cannot move through its normal range, the VA evaluates the severity of that limitation to assign a disability rating.
Ankle movement is measured in two primary directions:
- Dorsiflexion — flexing the foot upward, toward the shin.
- Plantar flexion — pointing the foot downward, away from the shin.
The degree to which these movements are restricted determines the rating level.
Available Rating Levels
Under Diagnostic Code 5271, there are two rating levels:
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 20% | Marked limitation of motion — less than 5 degrees of dorsiflexion, or less than 10 degrees of plantar flexion. |
| 10% | Moderate limitation of motion — less than 15 degrees of dorsiflexion, or less than 30 degrees of plantar flexion. |
What the VA Looks For
When rating limited motion of the ankle, the VA focuses on how much the ankle's range of motion is reduced, measured in degrees of dorsiflexion and plantar flexion:
- A moderate limitation (10%) is characterized by less than 15 degrees of dorsiflexion or less than 30 degrees of plantar flexion.
- A marked limitation (20%) reflects a greater restriction — less than 5 degrees of dorsiflexion or less than 10 degrees of plantar flexion.
These evaluations fall under 38 CFR § 4.71a, the section of federal regulations governing ratings for the musculoskeletal system.
This information is provided for general educational purposes and is drawn directly from the VA rating schedule for Diagnostic Code 5271.
These criteria are a rendering of § 4.71a, diagnostic code 5271. 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 5271 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 →