VA Disability Rating for Forearm, limitation of flexion of (DC 5206)
Body system: Musculoskeletal SystemRegulation: 38 CFR § 4.71aDBQ: DBQ MUSC Elbow and forearm
DC 5206, forearm, limitation of flexion of, is rated by the level below that matches your condition; the dominant (major) arm is rated higher than the non-dominant (minor) arm at the upper levels. The levels: Flexion limited to 45°: 50% for the dominant arm, 40% for the non-dominant arm. Flexion limited to 55°: 40% for the dominant arm, 30% for the non-dominant arm. Flexion limited to 70°: 30% for the dominant arm, 20% for the non-dominant arm. Flexion limited to 90°: 20% for either arm. Flexion limited to 100°: 10% for either arm. Flexion limited to 110°: 0% for either arm.
Rating levels
50% — You can only bend your forearm up to 45 degrees (less than halfway to your chest). Normal forearm flexion allows you to bend your arm about 150 degrees, so this rating applies when you've lost most of your ability to bend your forearm at the elbow joint.
40% — You can only bend your forearm up to 45 degrees at the elbow joint (flexion means bending a joint to bring two body parts closer together). This is a significant limitation since a normal elbow can bend to about 140-150 degrees, so you're only able to achieve about one-third of normal bending motion.
40% — You can only bend your forearm up to 55 degrees (flexion is the bending motion that brings your hand toward your shoulder). Normal forearm flexion is about 150 degrees, so you cannot even bend your elbow to a right angle (90 degrees).
30% — You can only bend your forearm up to 55 degrees (flexion means bending a joint to bring two body parts closer together). A normal forearm should be able to bend much further - typically around 140-150 degrees - so this represents a significant limitation in your ability to bend your forearm at the elbow.
30% — You can only bend your forearm up to 70 degrees (flexion means bending a joint to bring two body parts closer together). A normal forearm can bend about 150 degrees, so this rating applies when your range of motion is significantly limited to less than half of what's considered normal.
20% — You can only bend your forearm up to 70 degrees (flexion means bending a joint toward your body). A normal forearm should be able to bend about 150 degrees, so this rating applies when your range of motion is significantly limited to less than half of what's considered normal.
20% — You can only bend your elbow to 90 degrees (a right angle, like making an "L" shape with your arm). This means you cannot fully flex (bend) your elbow to bring your hand all the way up to your shoulder like a normal arm would do.
20% — You can only bend your elbow to 90 degrees (a right angle, like making an "L" shape with your arm). This means you cannot fully flex (bend) your elbow to bring your hand all the way up to your shoulder like a normal arm would do.
10% — Your elbow can only bend to 100 degrees or less. Normal elbow flexion (bending your arm up toward your shoulder) should reach about 140-150 degrees, so this rating applies when your elbow is significantly limited and you can't bring your hand close to your shoulder like you should be able to.
10% — Your elbow can only bend to 100 degrees or less. Normal elbow flexion (bending your arm up toward your shoulder) should reach about 140-150 degrees, so this rating applies when your elbow is significantly limited and you can't bring your hand close to your shoulder like you should be able to.
0% — You can only bend your forearm up to 110 degrees (flexion means bending a joint toward your body). A normal forearm should be able to bend about 145-150 degrees, so this rating applies when you've lost some bending ability but can still move your forearm through most of its normal range of motion.
0% — You can only bend your forearm up to 110 degrees (flexion means bending a joint toward your body). A normal forearm should be able to bend about 145-150 degrees, so this rating applies when you've lost some bending ability but can still move your forearm through most of its normal range of motion.
Disclaimer: This tool is for informational purposes only and is not legal or medical advice. Always consult with your VSO representative or a qualified veterans benefits attorney for guidance on your specific claim.