Secondary Condition Claim · VASRD 5269
Plantar Fasciitis Secondary to Muscle Group X - Intrinsic Muscles of the Foot
A condition caused or aggravated by an already service-connected disability can be granted its own service connection as a secondary condition under 38 CFR § 3.310. Here's how that works for Plantar Fasciitis when it develops after Muscle Group X - Intrinsic Muscles of the Foot.
Why Plantar Fasciitis Is Linked to Muscle Group X - Intrinsic Muscles of the Foot
Altered gait
Primary condition · VASRD 5310
Muscle Group X - Intrinsic Muscles of the Foot
Injury to the small muscles inside the foot itself — the ones that move the forefoot and toes and give the push-off in walking.
Secondary condition · VASRD 5269
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is inflammation and degeneration of the plantar fascia, the thick band running from the heel to the toes, producing the classic sharp heel pain on the first steps of the morning. Since February 7, 2021 it has had its own diagnostic code — DC 5269 — instead of being rated by analogy to tenosynovitis, and the percentage turns on whether one foot or both are affected and on whether treatment has failed.
Plantar Fasciitis VA Rating Tiers
The VA rates Plantar Fasciitis the same way whether it's claimed directly or as secondary to Muscle Group X - Intrinsic Muscles of the Foot — severity of Plantar Fasciitis itself determines the percentage.
Example combined rating
10% Muscle Group X - Intrinsic Muscles of the Foot + 10% Plantar Fasciitis = 19%
The VA combines ratings with Table I of 38 CFR 4.25, not simple addition — 10% and 10% combine to 19%, not 20%. These figures are illustrative; your actual rating for each condition depends on your own evaluation.
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Evidence for a Plantar Fasciitis Secondary Claim
- •A treatment record that names every non-surgical measure tried — orthotics, night splint, stretching programme, physical therapy, injections — and states in each case whether it gave relief, because the 20 and 30 percent criteria are written as treatment failure, not as severity.
- •Operative reports for any plantar fascia release or other surgery, and the post-operative outcome, since both non-surgical AND surgical treatment must have failed for the 20 or 30 percent level.
- •Where surgery was recommended but declined by the surgeon, a note saying the veteran is not a surgical candidate — Note (2) makes that the equivalent of surgical failure.
- •Documentation of whether one foot or both are involved, which is the only difference between the 20 and 30 percent criteria.
- •A podiatrist's diagnosis, with ultrasound or MRI showing plantar fascia thickening, and service records of the running, road-marching, load-carrying or prolonged standing that caused it.
Common questions about Plantar Fasciitis secondary to Muscle Group X - Intrinsic Muscles of the Foot
- Can Plantar Fasciitis be service-connected as secondary to Muscle Group X - Intrinsic Muscles of the Foot?
- Yes. Under 38 CFR § 3.310, a condition that is caused or aggravated by an already service-connected disability can be granted secondary service connection. Altered gait You'll need a current Plantar Fasciitis diagnosis and a medical nexus opinion linking it to your service-connected Muscle Group X - Intrinsic Muscles…
- What VA rating can I get for Plantar Fasciitis as a secondary condition?
- Plantar Fasciitis is rated under VASRD diagnostic code 5269 using the same criteria whether it's a direct or secondary claim: possible ratings are 30%, 20%, 10%. The rating depends on the severity of Plantar Fasciitis itself, not on the severity of Muscle Group X - Intrinsic Muscles of the Foot.
- How does a secondary Plantar Fasciitis claim affect my combined VA rating?
- The VA doesn't add ratings together. Using the official combined-ratings formula (38 CFR 4.25): a 10% rating for Muscle Group X - Intrinsic Muscles of the Foot combined with a 10% rating for Plantar Fasciitis (example figures) produces a combined rating of 19%, not 20%. Approving Plantar Fasciitis as secondary still t…
- What evidence do I need to service-connect Plantar Fasciitis as secondary to Muscle Group X - Intrinsic Muscles of the Foot?
- Strong evidence for the underlying Plantar Fasciitis diagnosis includes: A treatment record that names every non-surgical measure tried — orthotics, night splint, stretching programme, physical therapy, injections — and states in each case whether it gave relief, because the 20 and 30 percent criteria are written as t…
Primary condition
Full Muscle Group X - Intrinsic Muscles of the Foot guide
Secondary condition
Full Plantar Fasciitis guide
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See how Muscle Group X - Intrinsic Muscles of the Foot and Plantar Fasciitis combine with the rest of your service-connected conditions using the official VA combined-ratings formula.
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