YOUR CONDITION, EXPLAINED
Ankylosis of Thumb VA disability rating & claim guide
The VA rates Ankylosis of Thumb under diagnostic code 5224, in 38 CFR § 4.71a (musculoskeletal system), and the schedule provides two evaluation levels for it: 20% and 10%.
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A CLEARER PATH FORWARD
Make sense of your next step.
01Understand the rating02Know what to gather03Plan your preparationTHE ESSENTIALS
How the VA rates Ankylosis of Thumb
The thumb is fixed in one position and no longer moves. DC 5224 pays 20 percent when the fixed position is unfavorable and 10 percent when it is favorable, and unlike most upper-extremity codes it pays the same whether the thumb is on the dominant or the non-dominant hand.
DC 5224 has exactly two rating rows - 'Unfavorable' at 20 percent and 'Favorable' at 10 percent - and the major (dominant) and minor (non-dominant) columns carry identical values, so hand dominance does not change the evaluation here. What has to be established is that the thumb is ankylosed and what position it is fixed in. The code's note directs two further considerations: 'Also consider whether evaluation as amputation is warranted and whether an additional evaluation is warranted for resulting limitation of motion of other digits or interference with overall function of the hand.' A thumb that still moves but cannot reach the fingers is not rated here - that is DC 5228, limitation of motion of the thumb.
- Diagnostic code
- 5224
- Rating schedule
- 38 CFR § 4.71a
- Schedule levels
- 20% and 10%
How does the VA choose a rating level?
Which level applies is set by the criteria the evidence meets, not by the diagnosis. Where there is a question as to which of two evaluations applies, 38 CFR § 4.7 assigns the higher one if the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria required for that rating.
This code prints no 0% row. Under 38 CFR § 4.31, a 0% evaluation is assigned where the requirements for a compensable evaluation are not met.
EXPLORE THE PERCENTAGES
Ankylosis of Thumb VA rating criteria (DC 5224)
Choose a percentage to see what that level means. Open the full comparison to read all the criteria in one place.
These are published rating criteria. Selecting a level does not predict your VA decision.
IN THE REGULATION’S OWN WORDS
What 38 CFR also says about Ankylosis of Thumb
The notes 38 CFR Part 4 prints with these criteria, quoted. They govern how the evaluation is made without being a rating level themselves.
- “Note: Also consider whether evaluation as amputation is warranted and whether an additional evaluation is warranted for resulting limitation of motion of other digits or interference with overall function of the hand.”DC 5224
BUILD YOUR EVIDENCE, ONE PIECE AT A TIME
Evidence for your Ankylosis of Thumb claim
A long list feels easier when you have a place to start. Use this checklist to see what you have and what still needs gathering.
Check off what you’ve gathered. Progress stays on this page until you leave or refresh.
THE EXAM FORM
Which DBQ is used for Ankylosis of Thumb?
VA's page says: “You can use these forms to submit medical evidence from your health care providers.”
Source: VA: Public Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs), read September 18, 2026.
THE EVERYDAY PICTURE
What the Ankylosis of Thumb examination has to record
The criteria above are read off an examination, and three sections of Part 4 govern what that examination has to contain. None of them is a diagnostic code, so none of them appears in the 5224 table, and all three apply to it. 38 CFR § 4.40: “Weakness is as important as limitation of motion, and a part which becomes painful on use must be regarded as seriously disabled.”
38 CFR § 4.45 lists what an examination of a joint is directed to consider:
- Less movement than normal (due to ankylosis, limitation or blocking, adhesions, tendon-tie-up, contracted scars, etc.).
- More movement than normal (from flail joint, resections, nonunion of fracture, relaxation of ligaments, etc.).
- Weakened movement (due to muscle injury, disease or injury of peripheral nerves, divided or lengthened tendons, etc.).
- Excess fatigability.
- Incoordination, impaired ability to execute skilled movements smoothly.
- Pain on movement, swelling, deformity or atrophy of disuse.
38 CFR § 4.59: “It is the intention to recognize actually painful, unstable, or malaligned joints, due to healed injury, as entitled to at least the minimum compensable rating for the joint.” So a joint that is painful on use is not a finding of nothing, even where the measured motion is close to normal.
The same section says how the joint is to be tested: “The joints involved should be tested for pain on both active and passive motion, in weight-bearing and nonweight-bearing and, if possible, with the range of the opposite undamaged joint.” An examination that records one measurement, taken once, sitting down, has not done what the section asks, and that is worth reading the exam report for.
SMALL DETAILS. BETTER PREPARATION.
Preparing your Ankylosis of Thumb claim
Start with the practical tips, then explore the common oversights. You don’t need to work through everything at once.
Practical tips for your claim3 tips
- 01
Get a Nexus letter if secondary to hand trauma
- 02
List how tasks like buttoning, writing, gripping are affected
- 03
Clarify if thumb affects job or hobbies (e.g., typing, tools)
C&P exam pitfalls to keep in mind3 tips
- 01
No demonstration of functional loss
- 02
Lack of position specificity (favorable vs unfavorable)
- 03
Failure to compare with unaffected hand
Common filing mistakes3 tips
- 01
Claiming without medical evidence of ankylosis
- 02
Not mentioning hand dominance or work impact
- 03
Failing to differentiate favorable vs unfavorable position
When symptoms may first appear3 tips
- 01
Result of untreated dislocation or fracture
- 02
Long-term arthritis or post-surgical fusion
- 03
Can develop after tendon rupture
THE BROADER PICTURE
Ankylosis of Thumb by the numbers
- Approval outlook
- Moderate – especially if documented by orthopedic or hand specialist.
- Veterans service-connected
- ~8,200 veterans
- Typical rating awarded
- ~20%
Vetrify editorial estimates informed by VA published claims data (VBA Annual Benefits Report) and the VA rating schedule, not official VA statistics.
LET’S CLEAR A FEW THINGS UP
Common questions about Ankylosis of Thumb
Is Ankylosis of Thumb a VA-rated disability?
Yes. The VA rates Ankylosis of Thumb under VASRD diagnostic code 5224 (Musculoskeletal System). The thumb is fixed in one position and no longer moves. DC 5224 pays 20 percent when the fixed position is unfavorable and 10 percent when it is favorable, and unlike most upper-extremity codes it pays the same whether the thumb is on the dominant or the non-dominant hand.
What VA disability rating can I get for Ankylosis of Thumb?
Possible VA ratings for Ankylosis of Thumb are 20%, 10%, 0%. The 0% level comes from 38 CFR 4.31, which assigns it wherever no compensable level is met. Examples: 20%: Unfavorable ankylosis of the thumb. DC 5224 rates this 20 percent on either hand - the major and minor columns are the same; 10%: Favorable ankylosis of the thumb, rated 10 percent on either hand.
What's the typical VA rating awarded for Ankylosis of Thumb?
Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Ankylosis of Thumb at around 20%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 8,200 veterans are service-connected for Ankylosis of Thumb. Estimated approval outlook: Moderate – especially if documented by orthopedic or hand specialist.
What evidence helps prove Ankylosis of Thumb for VA disability?
Strong evidence for a Ankylosis of Thumb claim includes: Hand surgeon or orthopedist evaluation; Grip strength test results; Photos or documentation showing fixed thumb position.
Which DBQ is used for Ankylosis of Thumb?
VA's Hand and Finger Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) is on its public list of DBQs. VA's page says: "You can use these forms to submit medical evidence from your health care providers."
What mistakes should veterans avoid when claiming Ankylosis of Thumb?
Common pitfalls when filing for Ankylosis of Thumb: Claiming without medical evidence of ankylosis; Not mentioning hand dominance or work impact; Failing to differentiate favorable vs unfavorable position.
What conditions can be secondary to Ankylosis of Thumb?
Conditions that can be service-connected as secondary to Ankylosis of Thumb, when a medical opinion links them, include: Arthritis in Wrist; Tendonitis; Depression. A secondary condition gets its own rating, which VA combines with the veteran's other ratings under 38 CFR 4.25.
Official sources
- 38 CFR § 4.71a, Schedule of ratings, musculoskeletal system (Diagnostic Code 5224)
- 38 CFR § 4.7, higher of two evaluations
- 38 CFR § 4.31, zero percent evaluations
- 38 CFR § 4.40, functional loss
- 38 CFR § 4.45, the joints
- 38 CFR § 4.59, painful motion
Criteria in quotation marks are the regulation’s own words; everything else on this page is Vetrify’s summary of it. The eCFR text is authoritative. See how Vetrify derives its numbers.
How these figures are checked: our methodology and the open dataset.
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