Body system: Musculoskeletal SystemRegulation: 38 CFR § 4.71a
Ankle ankylosis means your ankle joint has become completely fused or locked in one position - you can't move it up, down, or side to side anymore. The VA rates this condition from 20% to 40% based on what position your ankle is stuck in. The worse the position for walking and daily activities, the higher your rating - with ankylosis (fusion) in extreme positions earning the maximum 40% rating.
Rating levels
- 40% — Your ankle is completely frozen (fused solid) in a position that significantly limits your mobility. This includes being stuck pointing downward more than 40 degrees (plantar flexion), stuck pointing upward more than 10 degrees (dorsiflexion), or frozen while twisted to either side, inward, or outward. The ankle joint has no movement at all and is locked in one of these problematic positions that interferes with normal walking and standing.
- 30% — Your ankle is permanently stuck in position and cannot move - either pointed downward at an angle between 30 to 40 degrees (plantar flexion), or pulled upward at an angle between 0 to 10 degrees (dorsiflexion). Ankylosis means your ankle joint is completely fused or frozen in place and has no ability to bend or flex in any direction.
- 20% — Your ankle is completely fused or locked in place (ankylosis) and stuck pointing downward (plantar flexion) at an angle of less than 30 degrees from normal position. This severe limitation means you cannot move your ankle joint at all, and the fixed downward position significantly affects your ability to walk normally and maintain balance.