Ankle (limited motion) DC 5271
Listed in the rating schedule as “Ankle, limited motion of”. VA rates it under diagnostic code 5271 in 38 CFR 4.71a. Body system: Legs & feet.
Also searched as: ankle sprain, ankle pain, bad ankle, ankle instability.
How VA rates it
The schedule allows 2 rating levels for this code: 10%, and 20%. VA picks the level whose criteria best match your symptoms and records.
It affects one leg, so each side is rated on its own. When both sides are rated, VA adds the bilateral factor (38 CFR 4.26).
Source: 38 CFR 4.71a on eCFR. Read the full criteria there before you file.
Rating levels and criteria
| Rating | What the schedule says |
|---|---|
| 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) |
Criteria text from 38 CFR 4.71a, eCFR as of November 10, 2026. The eCFR is the official source if anything here differs.
Conditions it can lead to
If this condition is service connected, these conditions are often claimed as secondary to it (38 CFR 3.310). Each one still needs its own diagnosis.
Hip (limited flexion) DC 5252 Possible link
An unstable ankle changes how your hip moves when you walk, land, and balance.
What to gather: A diagnosis of the second joint and a medical opinion explaining how the first condition changed the way you walk or carry weight.
Sources: 38 CFR 3.310 (secondary service connection); Proximal adaptations in chronic ankle instability: systematic review and meta-analysis (Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2020)
Knee (limited flexion) DC 5260 Possible link
An unstable or stiff ankle changes how your knee moves and absorbs impact.
What to gather: A diagnosis of the second joint and a medical opinion explaining how the first condition changed the way you walk or carry weight.
Sources: 38 CFR 3.310 (secondary service connection); Proximal adaptations in chronic ankle instability: systematic review and meta-analysis (Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2020)
Related medications
Medications that can cause or worsen it
If you take one of these for a service-connected condition, this condition may be claimable as secondary to that condition. You need a diagnosis, your prescription records, and a medical opinion.
Fluoroquinolone antibiotics (for example ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin) Established link
Fluoroquinolones have a boxed warning for tendon rupture, most often the Achilles. VA rates it by ankle motion.
Sources: FDA label: Ciprofloxacin (DailyMed)
Check your claim
The claim finder asks about your service and current ratings, then lists conditions you may be able to claim. The calculator shows what a new rating does to your combined rating and monthly pay.
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Rating schedule data as of November 10, 2026. Secondary and presumptive links checked November 13, 2026.
Not affiliated with the VA. VA decides ratings. Free help from an accredited VSO is available at no cost.