YOUR CONDITION, EXPLAINED
Limitation of Flexion of the Thigh (Hip) VA disability rating & claim guide
The VA rates Limitation of Flexion of the Thigh (Hip) under diagnostic code 5252, in 38 CFR § 4.71a (musculoskeletal system), and the schedule provides four evaluation levels for it: 40%, 30%, 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 Limitation of Flexion of the Thigh (Hip)
Hip flexion limitation makes it difficult to walk, sit, squat, or bend at the waist.
This code is rated purely on a measured angle: flexion of the thigh limited to 45° rates 10 percent, 30° rates 20 percent, 20° rates 30 percent, and 10° rates 40 percent. The measurement is taken with a goniometer during a Compensation & Pension or orthopedic exam, so the exam that produces the number is effectively the claim.
- Diagnostic code
- 5252
- Rating schedule
- 38 CFR § 4.71a
- Schedule levels
- 40%, 30%, 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
Limitation of Flexion of the Thigh (Hip) VA rating criteria (DC 5252)
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 Limitation of Flexion of the Thigh (Hip) 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 Limitation of Flexion of the Thigh (Hip)?
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 Limitation of Flexion of the Thigh (Hip) 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 5252 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 Limitation of Flexion of the Thigh (Hip) 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
Submit goniometer-based ROM readings
- 02
Describe how hip limits daily tasks
- 03
Document treatment efforts (therapy, injections)
C&P exam pitfalls to keep in mind3 tips
- 01
Improper goniometer use during flexion testing
- 02
No pain documented during testing
- 03
ROM measured after warming up instead of at rest
Common filing mistakes2 tips
- 01
Claiming pain without measured motion loss
- 02
No imaging or therapy records included
When symptoms may first appear2 tips
- 01
Can result from arthritis, injury, or overuse
- 02
Symptoms worsen with age or activity
THE BROADER PICTURE
Limitation of Flexion of the Thigh (Hip) by the numbers
- Approval outlook
- Moderate – higher with confirmed ROM loss and functional complaints.
- Veterans service-connected
- ~8,800 veterans
- Typical rating awarded
- ~10%
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 Limitation of Flexion of the Thigh (Hip)
Is Limitation of Flexion of the Thigh (Hip) a VA-rated disability?
Yes. The VA rates Limitation of Flexion of the Thigh (Hip) under VASRD diagnostic code 5252 (Musculoskeletal System). Hip flexion limitation makes it difficult to walk, sit, squat, or bend at the waist.
What VA disability rating can I get for Limitation of Flexion of the Thigh (Hip)?
Possible VA ratings for Limitation of Flexion of the Thigh (Hip) are 40%, 30%, 20%, 10%, 0%. The 0% level comes from 38 CFR 4.31, which assigns it wherever no compensable level is met. Examples: 40%: Flexion of the thigh limited to 10°; 30%: Flexion of the thigh limited to 20°; 20%: Flexion of the thigh limited to 30°.
What's the typical VA rating awarded for Limitation of Flexion of the Thigh (Hip)?
Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Limitation of Flexion of the Thigh (Hip) at around 10%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 8,800 veterans are service-connected for Limitation of Flexion of the Thigh (Hip). Estimated approval outlook: Moderate – higher with confirmed ROM loss and functional complaints.
What evidence helps prove Limitation of Flexion of the Thigh (Hip) for VA disability?
Strong evidence for a Limitation of Flexion of the Thigh (Hip) claim includes: VA C&P ROM measurements; Physical therapy notes showing mobility issues; X-rays if degenerative disease suspected.
Which DBQ is used for Limitation of Flexion of the Thigh (Hip)?
VA's Hip and Thigh 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 Limitation of Flexion of the Thigh (Hip)?
Common pitfalls when filing for Limitation of Flexion of the Thigh (Hip): Claiming pain without measured motion loss; No imaging or therapy records included.
Official sources
- 38 CFR § 4.71a, Schedule of ratings, musculoskeletal system (Diagnostic Code 5252)
- 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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