Limitation of Knee Flexion
The most commonly rated knee disability: how far you can bend the knee. Ratings run 0 to 30 percent based on measured flexion, with a 10 percent floor for a painful knee under the painful-motion rule.
How the VA rates it
Rated on goniometer-measured flexion (normal is about 140 degrees). Compensable ratings start when flexion is limited to 45 degrees. Because most painful knees still bend past 45 degrees, the painful-motion rule (38 CFR 4.59) is what earns many veterans the minimum 10 percent: a knee with objectively painful motion from healed injury or arthritis warrants at least the minimum compensable rating even with noncompensable measurements. Limitation of extension (how straight the knee gets) is rated separately under 5261, and both can be assigned for the same knee.
Rating criteria by percentage
Rated up to 30%Flexion limited to 15 degrees.
Flexion limited to 30 degrees.
Flexion limited to 45 degrees.
Flexion limited to 60 degrees (noncompensable, but a painful joint generally still warrants 10 percent under 38 CFR 4.59).
What those terms mean
- flexion
- — Bending the joint (e.g., bending your knee or leaning forward).
- extension
- — Straightening the joint out.
Secondary condition strategy
Commonly claimed secondary to this
Conditions veterans often develop from this one — each can be its own rating under 38 CFR 3.310.
- Lumbosacral Strain — Chronic knee dysfunction alters gait and can cause or aggravate low back problems.
- Limited Motion of the Hip — Compensating for a stiff or painful knee loads the hip abnormally over time.
- Major Depressive Disorder — Chronic knee pain limiting mobility and activity is a common basis for secondary depression.
This is often secondary to
If you already have one of these service-connected, it may support connecting this condition.
- Meniscus Tear — Motion loss commonly develops after meniscal injury or surgery in the same knee.
- Knee Instability — Ligament injuries and the arthritis they accelerate commonly reduce knee motion.
- Flat Feet (Pes Planus) — Altered lower-limb mechanics from flat feet can contribute to knee degeneration and motion loss.
Evidence that strengthens this claim
- State exactly where pain begins in the bending arc; under 4.59 pain on motion, weight-bearing, or with the opposite joint's testing should be recorded and can support the minimum rating.
- Describe flare-ups and after-activity stiffness in concrete terms (degrees or function lost); examiners are required to estimate flare-up loss where feasible.
- Ask the examiner to test and record both flexion AND extension; a knee that will not fully straighten can add a second rating under 5261.
- X-ray evidence of arthritis plus painful motion is a reliable route to 10 percent even when measured motion is nearly normal.
Rating rules to know
Separate ratings may be assigned for limitation of flexion (5260) and limitation of extension (5261) of the same knee (VAOPGCPREC 9-2004), and instability (5257) may be rated on top since it measures a different impairment. The bilateral factor (38 CFR 4.26) applies when both legs carry compensable ratings.
Related diagnostic codes
More musculoskeletal conditions
Lumbosacral Strain (Low Back Strain)
Chronic strain of the low back muscles and ligaments, one of the most commonly claimed VA disabilities. VA rates it on how far you can bend and move your low back, not on how much it hurts.
Rated up to 100%
Degenerative Arthritis (Osteoarthritis)
Wear-and-tear arthritis confirmed by X-ray. VA rates it through the motion limits of each affected joint, with a 10 percent floor for a painful arthritic joint even when motion is nearly normal.
Rated up to 20%
Cervical Strain (Neck Strain)
Chronic strain of the neck muscles and ligaments. VA rates it on how far you can move your neck under the same spine formula used for the low back, with neck-specific degree thresholds.
Rated up to 100%
Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD)
Wear-and-tear breakdown of the spinal discs and joints, in the low back or neck. VA rates it on measured spinal motion under the same formula used for back and neck strain.
Rated up to 100%
Plantar Fasciitis
Inflammation of the tissue band supporting the arch, causing heel and arch pain. VA gave it its own diagnostic code in 2021, rated 10 to 30 percent based mainly on whether treatment provides relief.
Rated up to 40%
Limited Motion of the Ankle
Chronic ankle conditions (often old sprains or arthritis) are rated 10 or 20 percent based on measured loss of up-and-down motion, using specific degree cutoffs added to the rule in 2021.
Rated up to 20%
Disclaimer: Valor Rating is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or medical advice. Always review your documents carefully before submitting to the VA. For official guidance, consult an accredited VSO, claims agent, or attorney.