YOUR CONDITION, EXPLAINED
Forearm, Flexion Limitation (Elbow) VA disability rating & claim guide
The VA rates Forearm, Flexion Limitation (Elbow) under diagnostic code 5206, in 38 CFR § 4.71a (musculoskeletal system), and the schedule provides six evaluation levels for it: 50%, 40%, 30%, 20%, 10% and 0%.
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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 Forearm, Flexion Limitation (Elbow)
Difficulty bending the elbow due to injury or arthritis.
Diagnostic code 5206 rates limitation of flexion of the forearm - how far the elbow will bend - and prints two columns, so the same measured angle pays differently on the dominant and the non-dominant side. Flexion limited to 45 degrees is 50 percent in the major (dominant) extremity and 40 percent in the minor (non-dominant) one; 55 degrees is 40 and 30; 70 degrees is 30 and 20; 90 degrees is 20 in both columns; 100 degrees is 10 in both; and 110 degrees is 0 percent in both, a row the schedule lists but does not compensate. The measured angle alone sets the evaluation under this code. Two neighbouring codes bound it: limitation of extension of the forearm is rated under diagnostic code 5207, and where flexion is limited to 100 degrees and extension to 45 degrees, diagnostic code 5208 assigns a flat 20 percent in both columns - more than the 10 percent this code alone assigns for flexion limited to 100 degrees. A note closing the forearm and wrist codes 5205 through 5213 adds that multiple impaired finger movements due to tendon tie-up, muscle or nerve injury are rated separately and combined, not to exceed the rating for loss of use of the hand.
- Diagnostic code
- 5206
- Rating schedule
- 38 CFR § 4.71a
- Schedule levels
- 50%, 40%, 30%, 20%, 10% and 0%
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.
EXPLORE THE PERCENTAGES
Forearm, Flexion Limitation (Elbow) VA rating criteria (DC 5206)
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.
BUILD YOUR EVIDENCE, ONE PIECE AT A TIME
Evidence for your Forearm, Flexion Limitation (Elbow) 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 Forearm, Flexion Limitation (Elbow)?
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 Forearm, Flexion Limitation (Elbow) 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 5206 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 Forearm, Flexion Limitation (Elbow) 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 claim2 tips
- 01
Show the impact on tasks like lifting or writing, since this functional context helps an examiner connect the degree measurement to real-world limitation.
- 02
Include flare-up symptoms in your description, since elbow flexion can vary day to day and a documented pattern is more persuasive than a single measurement.
C&P exam pitfalls to keep in mind2 tips
- 01
Not measuring motion multiple times, which can miss variability in how the joint performs from one moment to the next.
- 02
Ignoring pain at the end range of motion, which can be relevant even if the maximum degree reached looks reasonable.
Common filing mistakes1 tips
- 01
Not showing ROM limits over time, since a single measurement may not reflect the condition's typical severity.
When symptoms may first appear1 tips
- 01
Limited elbow flexion is common after elbow trauma, such as a fracture or dislocation, or from repetitive strain injuries affecting the joint.
THE BROADER PICTURE
Forearm, Flexion Limitation (Elbow) by the numbers
- Approval outlook
- Moderate
- Veterans service-connected
- ~12,000 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 Forearm, Flexion Limitation (Elbow)
Is Forearm, Flexion Limitation (Elbow) a VA-rated disability?
Yes. The VA rates Forearm, Flexion Limitation (Elbow) under VASRD diagnostic code 5206 (Musculoskeletal System). Difficulty bending the elbow due to injury or arthritis.
What VA disability rating can I get for Forearm, Flexion Limitation (Elbow)?
Possible VA ratings for Forearm, Flexion Limitation (Elbow) are 50%, 40%, 30%, 20%, 10%, 0%. Examples: 50%: Flexion limited to 45° - major (dominant) extremity; 40%: Flexion limited to 45° - minor (non-dominant) extremity; or flexion limited to 55° - major (dominant) extremity; 30%: Flexion limited to 55° - minor (non-dominant) extremity; or flexion limited to 70° - major (dominant) extremity.
What's the typical VA rating awarded for Forearm, Flexion Limitation (Elbow)?
Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Forearm, Flexion Limitation (Elbow) at around 20%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 12,000 veterans are service-connected for Forearm, Flexion Limitation (Elbow). Estimated approval outlook: Moderate.
What evidence helps prove Forearm, Flexion Limitation (Elbow) for VA disability?
Strong evidence for a Forearm, Flexion Limitation (Elbow) claim includes: Range-of-motion (ROM) measurements specifically for elbow flexion; Orthopedic notes documenting the injury and its effect on motion; VA C&P exam results with a formal ROM measurement.
Which DBQ is used for Forearm, Flexion Limitation (Elbow)?
VA's Elbow & Forearm 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 Forearm, Flexion Limitation (Elbow)?
Common pitfalls when filing for Forearm, Flexion Limitation (Elbow): Not showing ROM limits over time, since a single measurement may not reflect the condition's typical severity.
What conditions can be secondary to Forearm, Flexion Limitation (Elbow)?
Conditions that can be service-connected as secondary to Forearm, Flexion Limitation (Elbow), when a medical opinion links them, include: Tendonitis. 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 5206)
- 38 CFR § 4.7, higher of two 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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