VA Diagnostic Code 5272Subastragalar or tarsal joint, ankylosis 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%
In poor weight-bearing position
- 10%
In good weight-bearing position
Subastragalar or Tarsal Joint Ankylosis (VA Diagnostic Code 5272)
Understanding how the VA rates ankylosis of the subastragalar or tarsal joint under 38 CFR § 4.71a.
What This Condition Is
Diagnostic Code 5272 covers ankylosis of the subastragalar or tarsal joint, a condition affecting the Musculoskeletal System.
Ankylosis refers to the stiffening or fusion of a joint. The subastragalar (also called subtalar) and tarsal joints are located in the mid- and rear-foot area, below the ankle. When these joints become ankylosed, they lose their normal range of motion.
Available Rating Levels
The VA assigns a disability rating for this condition based on the position in which the joint has become fixed. Under Diagnostic Code 5272, there are two rating levels:
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 20% | Ankylosis in a poor weight-bearing position |
| 10% | Ankylosis in a good weight-bearing position |
What the VA Looks For
When evaluating a claim under this diagnostic code, the VA focuses on the weight-bearing position of the ankylosed joint:
- A poor weight-bearing position — where the fixed joint places the foot in a less functional alignment — is rated at 20%.
- A good weight-bearing position — where the fixed joint remains in a more functional alignment — is rated at 10%.
This information is drawn directly from the VA rating schedule 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 5272. 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 5272 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 →