Musculoskeletal System§ 4.71aUpdated
Rating criteria

VA Diagnostic Code 5279Metatarsalgia, anterior (Morton's disease), unilateral, or bilateral

A single 10% rating under § 4.71a. Here is what the VA requires for it.

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  1. 10%

    Metatarsalgia, anterior (Morton's disease), unilateral, or bilateral

Anterior Metatarsalgia (Morton's Disease) — VA Diagnostic Code 5279

Understanding This Condition

Anterior metatarsalgia, also known as Morton's disease, is a musculoskeletal condition affecting the foot. Under the VA rating schedule, it is evaluated under Diagnostic Code 5279, found in 38 CFR § 4.71a, which covers conditions of the Musculoskeletal System.

This condition may affect one foot (unilateral) or both feet (bilateral).

Available Rating Levels

The VA rating schedule provides a single evaluation level for this condition:

RatingCriteria
10%Metatarsalgia, anterior (Morton's disease), unilateral, or bilateral

What the VA Looks For

When rating this condition, the VA evaluates for anterior metatarsalgia (Morton's disease) and assigns a 10% rating. This applies whether the condition affects one foot or both feet.


This information is drawn directly from the VA rating schedule under 38 CFR § 4.71a, Diagnostic Code 5279. It is provided for general informational purposes and is not a prediction of any individual claim outcome.

These criteria are a rendering of § 4.71a, diagnostic code 5279. The official version is the one that governs your rating.

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What next

How to claim this

Knowing the criteria is the first half. Getting your file to show them is the second.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. Claim it by code

    File under diagnostic code 5279 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.

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