Body system: Musculoskeletal SystemRegulation: 38 CFR § 4.71a
This condition covers limited movement in your index finger or middle finger due to injury or disease. The VA rates this at either 10% or 0% based on how well you can bend and straighten your finger. A 10% rating means your finger can't bend close enough to your palm (more than an inch gap) or can't straighten properly (missing more than 30 degrees of extension).
Rating levels
- 10% — You qualify for this rating if your index finger or long finger cannot bend enough to get within one inch of your palm crease, or if your finger cannot straighten out completely and is stuck bent by more than 30 degrees. The palm crease is the main line that goes across your palm closest to your fingers (proximal transverse crease), and flexion means bending your finger toward your palm while extension means straightening it out.
- 10% — You qualify for this rating if your index finger or long finger cannot bend enough to get within one inch of your palm crease, or if your finger cannot straighten out completely and is stuck bent by more than 30 degrees. The palm crease is the main line that goes across your palm closest to your fingers (proximal transverse crease), and flexion means bending your finger toward your palm while extension means straightening it out.
- 0% — Your index or long finger can bend close enough that there's less than one inch of space between your fingertip and the crease across your palm when you make a fist as tightly as possible. When you try to straighten your finger completely, it stops no more than 30 degrees short of being fully straight (meaning your finger can get pretty close to normal straightening).
- 0% — Your index or long finger can bend close enough that there's less than one inch of space between your fingertip and the crease across your palm when you make a fist as tightly as possible. When you try to straighten your finger completely, it stops no more than 30 degrees short of being fully straight (meaning your finger can get pretty close to normal straightening).