Ankle injuries are common service-connected disabilities affecting many veterans who receive VA disability compensation. Veterans developed ankle injuries from military service—the repetitive marching and running with heavy loads stresses the veteran’s ankles, and combat-related trauma causes acute ankle injuries in veterans. Many veterans experience chronic ankle pain, instability, and functional impairment from service-related ankle injuries. Some veterans’ ankle injuries progress to ankle arthritis or chronic ankle instability affecting the veteran. Yet many veterans don’t realize they can file for VA disability benefits for ankle injuries or don’t understand how the VA rates ankle disability in veterans. This comprehensive article explains how veterans develop service-connected ankle injuries, how veterans can file disability claims for ankle damage, what disability ratings veterans with ankle injuries receive, and how veterans can maximize compensation for ankle injury disabilities.
How Veterans Develop Service-Connected Ankle Injuries
Veterans develop ankle injuries through various service-related pathways:
Heavy Load Carrying: Many veterans carried heavy rucksacks and equipment during military service. The weight combined with marching distances caused significant stress on the veteran’s ankles. This repetitive heavy load on the veteran’s ankles accelerates ankle injury in veterans.
Repetitive Marching and Running: The repetitive marching and running required during military training and service stresses the veteran’s ankle joints. Extended distances marched during a veteran’s military service cause ankle injuries affecting the veteran.
Combat-Related Trauma: Veterans sustained ankle injuries from blast injuries, vehicle accidents, falls from height, or direct combat trauma affecting the veteran’s ankle. These acute ankle injuries in veterans often lead to long-term instability and pain affecting the veteran.
Training Injuries: Military training includes activities stressing the veteran’s ankle joints. Ankle sprains, twists, or injuries during the veteran’s military training caused ankle injuries in veterans.
Uneven Terrain: Veterans serving in mountainous or challenging terrain frequently twisted or injured the veteran’s ankles navigating difficult ground. The veteran’s exposure to rough terrain during service caused ankle injuries affecting the veteran.
Types of Ankle Injuries in Veterans
Veterans experience various ankle injuries and conditions qualifying for disability benefits:
Ankle Sprains: Ligament injuries in the veteran’s ankle cause pain and instability affecting the veteran. Ankle sprains in veterans often result from acute trauma or chronic ankle instability.
Ankle Fractures: Fractures of the veteran’s ankle bones (tibia, fibula, or talus) cause significant disability. These fractures in veterans may result in long-term complications affecting the veteran.
Ankle Instability: Repeated ankle injuries in veterans cause chronic ankle instability where the veteran’s ankle repeatedly gives way. This chronic instability in veterans significantly affects the veteran’s occupational capacity.
Ankle Arthritis: Osteoarthritis develops in the veteran’s ankle joint from injury or wear-and-tear affecting the veteran. Progressive arthritis in the veteran’s ankle causes chronic pain and dysfunction.
Syndesmotic Injuries: Injuries to the ligaments connecting the veteran’s tibia and fibula cause high ankle sprains. These syndesmotic injuries in veterans cause more severe dysfunction than simple ankle sprains.
Post-Traumatic Ankle Pain: Veterans who sustained ankle injuries during service frequently develop post-traumatic pain and dysfunction in the veteran’s ankle affecting occupational capacity.
Service Connection for Veterans with Ankle Injuries
Veterans can establish service connection for ankle injuries through several pathways:
Direct Service Connection: Veterans can establish direct service connection by showing that ankle injury resulted from a specific incident or occupational stress during military service. A veteran injured during training or combat can establish service connection for the veteran’s ankle injury.
Secondary Service Connection: Veterans often develop ankle problems secondary to other service-connected conditions. A veteran with service-connected flat feet might develop ankle problems affecting the veteran. A veteran with knee injury might develop ankle dysfunction as the veteran compensates for the veteran’s injury affecting the veteran’s ankle.
Disability Ratings for Veterans with Ankle Injuries
The VA rates ankle injuries in veterans based on specific clinical findings and functional limitations affecting the veteran. The VA considers several factors when rating ankle injuries in veterans:
Range of Motion: The VA examines the veteran’s ankle range of motion. Veterans with severely limited ankle motion receive higher ratings affecting the veteran.
Stability: The VA assesses whether the veteran’s ankle is stable or unstable. A veteran with an unstable ankle receives higher ratings than a veteran whose ankle is stable affecting the veteran.
Pain and Symptoms: The VA considers pain severity and symptoms affecting the veteran. Medical records documenting the veteran’s ankle pain support higher ratings for the veteran’s injury.
Functional Limitations: The VA evaluates how the veteran’s ankle injury affects the veteran’s ability to walk, run, climb stairs, or perform occupational tasks. Veterans whose ankle injury significantly limits functional capacity receive higher ratings.
Imaging Findings: X-rays, MRI, and other imaging showing structural damage to the veteran’s ankle support disability ratings. Fractures, ligament damage, or arthritis in the veteran’s ankle warrant higher ratings.
VA Disability Ratings for Veterans with Ankle Injuries
The VA rates ankle injuries in veterans using specific rating schedules. Most ankle injuries in veterans receive ratings between 0% and 30%, though severe cases may receive higher ratings.
0-10% Rating for Veterans: Veterans at this level have mild ankle damage or instability with minimal functional impairment. The veteran may have occasional ankle pain or slight instability but it doesn’t substantially affect the veteran’s work or daily functioning.
20% Rating for Veterans: Veterans receiving 20% for ankle injury have mild to moderate ankle damage affecting the veteran’s functioning. The veteran’s ankle pain impacts activities and the veteran may have some limitation in walking or running affecting the veteran.
30% Rating for Veterans: Veterans at this level have moderate to significant ankle injury with noticeable functional limitation. The veteran’s ankle substantially limits occupational tasks requiring standing, walking, or running affecting the veteran.
Filing for Ankle Injury Disability Benefits as a Veteran
To file for VA disability benefits for ankle injuries, veterans submit VA Form 21-0960 (Application for Disability Compensation) indicating ankle injury as the claimed condition.
Veterans filing for ankle injuries should include:
- Medical records documenting the veteran’s ankle injury diagnosis
- Surgical records if the veteran had ankle surgery related to the veteran’s injury
- X-rays, MRI, or other imaging showing ankle damage affecting the veteran
- Documentation of ankle treatments received by the veteran
- Information about when and how the veteran injured the veteran’s ankle during service
- Documentation of the veteran’s functional limitations caused by the veteran’s ankle injury
- A personal statement from the veteran describing how the veteran’s ankle injury affects daily functioning and work
Veterans should clearly explain how the veteran believes the veteran’s ankle injury is service-connected.
The Compensation and Pension Exam for Veterans with Ankle Injuries
When veterans file for ankle injury disability, the VA typically schedules a Compensation and Pension exam. During the veteran’s exam, the VA examiner will:
- Perform a thorough ankle examination on the veteran, testing the veteran’s range of motion
- Assess stability of the veteran’s ankle through stress testing
- Review imaging studies and medical records documenting the veteran’s ankle injury
- Ask the veteran detailed questions about the veteran’s ankle pain and functional limitations
- Document the veteran’s occupational and daily functioning affected by the veteran’s ankle injury
- Test the veteran’s ability to walk and stand
Veterans should prepare for the veteran’s exam by being prepared to demonstrate functional limitations and describe honestly how the veteran’s ankle affects the veteran’s work and daily life.
Secondary Conditions in Veterans with Ankle Injuries
Veterans should file claims for conditions secondary to their ankle injuries:
Foot Pain: Altered gait from ankle injury causes stress on the veteran’s feet. Secondary foot pain in veterans from ankle injury can receive separate disability rating.
Knee Pain: Compensatory stress from ankle injury causes stress on the veteran’s knees. Secondary knee conditions in veterans from ankle injury can receive separate disability rating.
Back Pain: Altered gait and posture from ankle injury may cause back pain in the veteran. Secondary back pain in veterans from ankle injury qualifies for separate rating.
Depression and Anxiety: Veterans with chronic ankle pain may develop depression and anxiety affecting the veteran. Secondary mental health conditions in veterans from chronic ankle pain qualify for separate ratings.
These secondary conditions increase the veteran’s combined disability rating.
Combining Ankle Injuries with Other Veteran Disabilities
Many veterans have ankle injuries combined with other service-connected conditions. For example, a veteran might have a 20% rating for ankle injury and a 30% rating for foot problems, plus other disabilities affecting the veteran.
All conditions in veterans combine using the VA’s combined rating formula to determine the veteran’s total disability rating. Use our disability calculator at https://vetvalor.com/va-disability-calculator-2026/ to understand exactly how your ankle injury rating combines with your other service-connected conditions as a veteran. The calculator shows veterans their total combined rating and monthly compensation.
Rating Increases for Veterans with Worsening Ankle Injuries
Veterans whose ankle injuries worsen over time should file for rating increases. Many veterans experience progressive ankle degeneration as they age, developing arthritis or worsening instability in the veteran’s ankle.
Veterans should file for rating increases when:
- The veteran’s ankle pain becomes worse or more frequent
- The veteran’s ankle instability worsens or ankle gives way more often
- The veteran’s ankle range of motion decreases
- The veteran requires surgery or more intensive treatment for the veteran’s ankle
- The veteran’s functional limitations from the veteran’s ankle have increased
When filing for a rating increase, veterans should submit updated medical evidence showing the veteran’s worsened ankle condition and current functional impact.
Use our disability calculator at https://vetvalor.com/va-disability-calculator-2026/ to see how an ankle injury rating increase would affect your combined rating and total compensation as a veteran.
Understanding Your Ankle Injury Disability Compensation
A veteran’s ankle injury disability compensation depends on the veteran’s ankle injury rating and any other service-connected conditions the veteran has. Use our disability calculator at https://vetvalor.com/va-disability-calculator-2026/ to determine:
- Your combined rating including ankle injury and other disabilities
- Your monthly compensation based on your disability ratings
- How an ankle injury rating increase would affect your total compensation
- How ankle injuries combine with other service-connected conditions affecting the veteran
The calculator helps veterans understand their total compensation when ankle injuries combine with other disabilities.
Ankle Treatment and Management for Veterans
Veterans with service-connected ankle injuries should establish regular care with VA orthopedic specialists, podiatrists, or physical medicine and rehabilitation providers knowledgeable about ankle conditions. The VA offers veterans:
- Orthopedic evaluation and management for ankle injuries affecting the veteran
- Physical therapy to improve the veteran’s ankle stability and function
- Medication management for pain and inflammation in the veteran’s ankle
- Ankle injections or other interventional treatments for some veterans’ ankle conditions
- Surgical options including ankle fusion or reconstruction for appropriate veterans
Veterans should maintain regular VA care both for treatment and to create medical documentation supporting disability ratings and potential rating increase claims.
Occupational Considerations for Veterans with Ankle Injuries
The VA recognizes that significant ankle injuries substantially affect occupational capacity in veterans. Veterans whose ankle injuries prevent them from performing their previous occupation requiring standing or walking may need to change careers affecting the veteran.
Veterans with substantial ankle injuries limiting occupational capacity should consider filing for Individual Unemployability (IU). IU provides 100% disability compensation based on occupational inability rather than rating percentage alone.
Appealing Denied Ankle Injury Claims for Veterans
If the VA denies a veteran’s ankle injury claim, the veteran can appeal. Many veterans successfully overturn denials by:
- Submitting additional medical evidence documenting the veteran’s ankle damage
- Obtaining detailed orthopedic or podiatric statements from healthcare providers supporting the veteran’s ankle disability claim
- Working with a VA-accredited representative who understands ankle injury claims
- Providing detailed functional limitation descriptions in appeals
- Filing additional rating increase claims as the veteran’s condition progresses
Don’t accept a denied ankle injury claim without appeal—many veterans successfully obtain ankle injury disability benefits through persistent appeals.
Conclusion
Ankle injuries are service-connected disabilities affecting many veterans, significantly impacting the veteran’s ability to work and maintain mobility. Veterans who injured the veteran’s ankle during military service, from combat-related trauma, or from service-related physical demands deserve disability compensation. If you’re a veteran with an ankle injury, file a disability claim documenting your condition and how the veteran’s ankle injury affects your functioning. File for secondary conditions caused by your ankle injury. Maintain regular VA orthopedic or podiatric care and document your ankle pain and functional limitations. Use our disability calculator at https://vetvalor.com/va-disability-calculator-2026/ to understand your combined rating and total compensation when ankle injuries combine with other veteran disabilities. As a veteran with service-connected ankle injury, you deserve disability benefits recognizing your condition and compensating you for the functional impact on your veteran life.
