Body system: Musculoskeletal SystemRegulation: 38 CFR § 4.71a
This diagnostic code covers when one of your legs is shorter than the other due to a service-connected injury or condition affecting the bones in your lower leg or thigh. The VA measures the actual difference in length between your legs and assigns ratings from 10% to 40% based on how many inches shorter the affected leg is. The more significant the shortening, the higher your disability rating, since greater leg length differences cause more problems with walking, balance, and daily activities.
Rating levels
- 60% — One of your leg bones is more than 4 inches shorter than it should be compared to your other leg. This significant shortening could be from a break that didn't heal properly, bone loss from injury or disease, or a congenital condition that affects your ability to walk normally and puts strain on your back and other joints.
- 50% — Your leg is shorter than the other leg by 3½ to 4 inches (measured from hip to ankle). This significant difference in leg length affects your walking, balance, and overall mobility, typically requiring special shoes, lifts, or other accommodations to help you function normally.
- 40% — Your leg bone is between 3 to 3½ inches shorter than it should be compared to your other leg. This significant shortening would be measured by comparing the length of your affected leg to your unaffected leg, or to what the normal length should be based on your body structure.
- 30% — Your leg bone has been shortened by 2.5 to 3 inches compared to your other leg due to injury or disease. This level of shortening (where one leg is noticeably shorter than the other) typically causes a significant limp and may require special shoes or other accommodations to walk properly.
- 20% — Your leg bone is shorter than it should be by 2 to 2½ inches compared to your other leg or to normal length. This shortening could be in your thigh bone (femur) or shin bone (tibia/fibula) and is measured as the actual difference in bone length, not just how your legs appear when standing.
- 10% — You qualify for this rating if one of your legs is between 1.25 inches and 2 inches shorter than the other leg due to a bone condition or injury. The shortening must be measurable and caused by problems with the actual bones in your leg (femur, tibia, or fibula), not just soft tissue or muscle issues.