What rates 40% for Hip Osteoarthritis under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5003?

Under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5003 (DC 5003), a 40% rating for Hip Osteoarthritis requires: DC 5252 "Thigh, limitation of flexion of: Flexion limited to 10°" = 40%. (Verbatim § 4.71a DC 5252.) Severe hip-flexion limitation.

What happens during a C&P exam for Hip Osteoarthritis?

Do NOT stretch, warm up, or take pain medication before your exam. The VA needs your baseline limitation. Report your WORST day. DeLuca v. Brown requires documentation of functional loss during flare-ups.

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Hip Osteoarthritis

Q: What are the VA rating percentages for Hip Osteoarthritis?

Hip Osteoarthritis (DC 5003) is rated at 90%, 80%, 70%, 60%, 40%, 30%, 20%, 10%, 0% under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5003. DC 5250 "Hip, ankylosis of: Unfavorable, extremely unfavorable ankylosis, the foot not reaching ground, crutches necessitated" = 90%. (Verbatim § 4.71a DC 5250.) The most severe hip-arthritis residual — functional loss approaches loss of use of leg.

Q: What rates 90% for Hip Osteoarthritis under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5003?

Under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5003 (DC 5003), a 90% rating for Hip Osteoarthritis requires: DC 5250 "Hip, ankylosis of: Unfavorable, extremely unfavorable ankylosis, the foot not reaching ground, crutches necessitated" = 90%. (Verbatim § 4.71a DC 5250.) The most severe hip-arthritis residual — functional loss approaches loss of use of leg.

Q: What rates 80% for Hip Osteoarthritis under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5003?

Under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5003 (DC 5003), a 80% rating for Hip Osteoarthritis requires: DC 5254 "Hip, flail joint" = 80%; DC 5255 "Femur, impairment of: Fracture of shaft or anatomical neck with nonunion, with loose motion (spiral or oblique fracture)" = 80% (verbatim § 4.71a DC 5255).

Q: What rates 70% for Hip Osteoarthritis under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5003?

Under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5003 (DC 5003), a 70% rating for Hip Osteoarthritis requires: DC 5250 "Hip, ankylosis of: Intermediate" = 70%; DC 5255 Major "Femur, impairment of: Fracture of shaft or anatomical neck with nonunion, without loose motion, weight bearing preserved with aid of brace" = 60% (verbatim § 4.71a DC 5250 / DC 5255).

Q: What rates 60% for Hip Osteoarthritis under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5003?

Under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5003 (DC 5003), a 60% rating for Hip Osteoarthritis requires: DC 5250 "Hip, ankylosis of: Favorable, in flexion at an angle between 20° and 40°, and slight adduction or abduction" = 60%; DC 5255 "Femur, fracture of surgical neck of, with false joint" = 60%. (Verbatim § 4.71a DC 5250 / DC 5255.)

Q: What rates 30% for Hip Osteoarthritis under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5003?

Under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5003 (DC 5003), a 30% rating for Hip Osteoarthritis requires: DC 5252 "Thigh, limitation of flexion of: Flexion limited to 20°" = 30%; DC 5253 (additional, combinable per § 4.25): "Limitation of abduction of, motion lost beyond 10°" = 20% combined to total. (Verbatim § 4.71a DC 5252-5253.)

Q: What rates 20% for Hip Osteoarthritis under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5003?

Under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5003 (DC 5003), a 20% rating for Hip Osteoarthritis requires: DC 5252 "Thigh, limitation of flexion of: Flexion limited to 30°" = 20%; DC 5253 "Thigh, impairment of: Limitation of abduction of, motion lost beyond 10°" = 20%; DC 5251 "Thigh, limitation of extension of: Extension limited to 5°" = 10% — combined with DC 5252/5253 per § 4.25 may reach 20%; OR — DC 5003 X-ray-only "2 or more major joints, with occasional incapacitating exacerbations" = 20%. (Verbatim § 4.71a.) Per NOTE 1, X-ray-only does NOT combine with ROM-based.

Q: What rates 10% for Hip Osteoarthritis under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5003?

Under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5003 (DC 5003), a 10% rating for Hip Osteoarthritis requires: DC 5251 "Extension limited to 5°" = 10%; DC 5252 "Flexion limited to 45°" = 10%; DC 5253 "Limitation of adduction, cannot cross legs" = 10% / "Limitation of rotation, cannot toe-out more than 15° affected leg" = 10%; OR — DC 5003 single-major-joint fallback (one major joint affected with painful-motion / swelling / muscle-spasm objective finding) = 10%; OR — DC 5003 X-ray-only "2 or more major joints" = 10%. (Verbatim § 4.71a DC 5003 / DC 5251-5253.)

Q: What rates 0% for Hip Osteoarthritis under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5003?

Under 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5003 (DC 5003), a 0% rating for Hip Osteoarthritis requires: X-ray-confirmed hip arthritis without compensable ROM under DC 5251/5252/5253 (extension >5°, flexion >45°, can cross legs, can toe-out >15°) AND without objectively-confirmed painful-motion / swelling / muscle-spasm findings.

DC 5003 | 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5003 | 

Hip Osteoarthritis is rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs under DC 5003 of 38 CFR § 4.71a, DC 5003 across 9 severity tiers (90% / 80% / 70% / 60% / 40%…). Service connection requires (1) a current diagnosis, (2) an in-service event, injury, or exposure, and (3) a medical nexus opinion linking the two under 38 C.F.R. § 3.303.

OVERVIEW

Degenerative joint disease of the hip with cartilage loss, bone spurs, and progressive pain reducing mobility and weight-bearing ability

RATING CRITERIA (9 LEVELS)

90%

DC 5250 "Hip, ankylosis of: Unfavorable, extremely unfavorable ankylosis, the foot not reaching ground, crutches necessitated" = 90%. (Verbatim § 4.71a DC 5250.) The most severe hip-arthritis residual — functional loss approaches loss of use of leg.

80%

DC 5254 "Hip, flail joint" = 80%; DC 5255 "Femur, impairment of: Fracture of shaft or anatomical neck with nonunion, with loose motion (spiral or oblique fracture)" = 80% (verbatim § 4.71a DC 5255).

70%

DC 5250 "Hip, ankylosis of: Intermediate" = 70%; DC 5255 Major "Femur, impairment of: Fracture of shaft or anatomical neck with nonunion, without loose motion, weight bearing preserved with aid of brace" = 60% (verbatim § 4.71a DC 5250 / DC 5255).

60%

DC 5250 "Hip, ankylosis of: Favorable, in flexion at an angle between 20° and 40°, and slight adduction or abduction" = 60%; DC 5255 "Femur, fracture of surgical neck of, with false joint" = 60%. (Verbatim § 4.71a DC 5250 / DC 5255.)

40%

DC 5252 "Thigh, limitation of flexion of: Flexion limited to 10°" = 40%. (Verbatim § 4.71a DC 5252.) Severe hip-flexion limitation.

30%

DC 5252 "Thigh, limitation of flexion of: Flexion limited to 20°" = 30%; DC 5253 (additional, combinable per § 4.25): "Limitation of abduction of, motion lost beyond 10°" = 20% combined to total. (Verbatim § 4.71a DC 5252-5253.)

20%

DC 5252 "Thigh, limitation of flexion of: Flexion limited to 30°" = 20%; DC 5253 "Thigh, impairment of: Limitation of abduction of, motion lost beyond 10°" = 20%; DC 5251 "Thigh, limitation of extension of: Extension limited to 5°" = 10% — combined with DC 5252/5253 per § 4.25 may reach 20%; OR — DC 5003 X-ray-only "2 or more major joints, with occasional incapacitating exacerbations" = 20%. (Verbatim § 4.71a.) Per NOTE 1, X-ray-only does NOT combine with ROM-based.

10%

DC 5251 "Extension limited to 5°" = 10%; DC 5252 "Flexion limited to 45°" = 10%; DC 5253 "Limitation of adduction, cannot cross legs" = 10% / "Limitation of rotation, cannot toe-out more than 15° affected leg" = 10%; OR — DC 5003 single-major-joint fallback (one major joint affected with painful-motion / swelling / muscle-spasm objective finding) = 10%; OR — DC 5003 X-ray-only "2 or more major joints" = 10%. (Verbatim § 4.71a DC 5003 / DC 5251-5253.)

X-ray-confirmed hip arthritis without compensable ROM under DC 5251/5252/5253 (extension >5°, flexion >45°, can cross legs, can toe-out >15°) AND without objectively-confirmed painful-motion / swelling / muscle-spasm findings.

KEY EVIDENCE TO GATHER

-Service treatment records showing injury or complaints

-Imaging (X-ray, MRI, CT)

-Range of motion measurements

-Flare-up documentation per Sharp v. Shulkin

-Buddy statements describing limitations

-Prescription history

-Physical therapy records

-Employment impact documentation

C&P EXAM TIPS (6)

1.Do NOT stretch, warm up, or take pain medication before your exam. The VA needs your baseline limitation.

2.Report your WORST day. DeLuca v. Brown requires documentation of functional loss during flare-ups.

3.Tell the examiner about flare-ups: frequency, duration, estimated ROM loss. Sharp v. Shulkin (2017) requires estimates.

4.Request active, passive, weight-bearing, and non-weight-bearing ROM testing per Correia v. McDonald (2016).

5.If you use assistive devices (brace, cane), bring them.

6.Describe daily activity impact: work, sleep, household tasks.

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SOURCES & EDITORIAL

Rating criteria reference 38 C.F.R. Part 4 (Schedule for Rating Disabilities). This entry has not yet undergone editorial review against the live regulation text — consult the authoritative source directly before relying on the criteria shown.

→ View 38 C.F.R. Part 4 on eCFR → Editorial Standards → Suggest a correction

EDUCATIONAL TOOL ONLY. NOT LEGAL OR MEDICAL ADVICE.
NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
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