Flat Feet (Pes Planus) — VA Disability Rating & Claim Guide
This is not legal or medical advice. Always consult with a VSO or accredited claims agent.
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The DBQ for Flat Feet (Pes Planus)
Your C&P examiner fills out DBQ 21-0960M-6 (Foot Conditions, Including Flatfoot (Pes Planus)) — the form that decides your rating. You can have your own doctor complete the same DBQ and submit it as evidence.
Have a C&P exam coming up? See exactly what the examiner will ask about Flat Feet (Pes Planus) — and how to describe it.
Prep →2026 Compensation Rates
Monthly compensation for Flat Feet (Pes Planus), based on your overall combined VA disability rating.
| Rating | Monthly (Alone) | Monthly (w/ Spouse) | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | — | $2,165.04 |
| 20% | $356.66 | — | $4,279.92 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 | $6,629.64 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $882.84 | $9,550.08 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,241.90 | $13,594.80 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,566.02 | $17,220.24 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,961.45 | $21,701.40 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $2,277.15 | $25,225.80 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $2,559.30 | $28,347.60 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,158.17 | $47,262.96 |
Common Symptoms
Document these symptoms in your claim. The more thoroughly you describe how they affect your daily life, the stronger your claim.
Functional Limitations
VA rates disabilities based on how they limit your ability to function. Describe these limitations in your personal statement.
Rating Criteria for Flat Feet (Pes Planus)
Rating schedule under 38 CFR 4.71a, DC 5276 (acquired flatfoot / pes planus).. Criteria are simplified summaries; your specific rating depends on severity documented in your C&P exam.
Mild; symptoms relieved by a built-up shoe or arch support.
Moderate; weight-bearing line over or medial to the great toe, inward bowing of the tendo achillis, and pain on manipulation and use of the feet (bilateral or unilateral).
Severe (unilateral); objective evidence of marked deformity (pronation, abduction), pain on manipulation and use accentuated, indication of swelling on use, and characteristic callosities.
Severe (bilateral); or pronounced (unilateral) with marked pronation, extreme tenderness of the plantar surfaces, marked inward displacement and severe spasm of the tendo achillis on manipulation, not improved by orthopedic shoes or appliances.
Pronounced (bilateral); marked pronation, extreme tenderness of the plantar surfaces, marked inward displacement and severe spasm of the tendo achillis on manipulation, not improved by orthopedic shoes or appliances.
Verified against 38 CFR Part 4, the official VA rating schedule. Reviewed July 2026.
Will adding Flat Feet (Pes Planus) raise your rating?
Enter your current combined rating and the level this condition would rate at. We'll do the VA math.
New combined
10%
New monthly
$180
Change
+$180
Rates shown are the 2026 veteran-alone amounts (no dependents). VA combines ratings with "whole-person" math and rounds to the nearest 10, so adding a condition does not simply add its percentage. Full combined-rating calculator with dependents →
Peer-Reviewed Medical Evidence
Real, verified studies from PubMed/NIH that support a Flat Feet (Pes Planus) claim. Bring these citations to your accredited VSO or C&P exam — they help show your condition is recognized in the medical literature and, where noted, linked to other service-connected conditions.
Chin J Traumatol, 2003 · PMID 12542958
Finding: In a cohort of 805 male recruits, 14% sustained injuries during training and 77.7% were overuse injuries of the musculoskeletal system (most commonly stress fractures). Logistic regression identified flatfoot as an independent risk factor for overuse injury alongside prior lower-limb injury and low pre-entry conditioning.
Why it helps: Supports an association between pre-existing flat feet and the development of musculoskeletal overuse injuries under the physical demands of military training, useful when arguing a service connection or aggravation during service.
Mil Med, 2019 · PMID 30423135
Finding: Among 4,029 conscripts, 1,623 sought care for foot or ankle disorders during service, most within the first two months. Flatfoot deformity was statistically significantly associated with the incidence of foot and ankle disorders, along with smoking and previous injuries.
Why it helps: Supports an association between flat feet and a higher rate of foot and ankle problems that surface during military service, relevant to onset or worsening of symptoms in the service period.
Semin Arthritis Rheum, 1993 · PMID 8484134
Finding: In a year of Air Force basic training, musculoskeletal disorders accounted for 67% of all medical discharges, and pes planus deformity was among the three most frequently encountered diagnoses (with patellofemoral syndrome and low back pain).
Why it helps: Supports that pes planus is a common, service-significant condition during basic military training, documenting that the military environment surfaces and burdens flat-foot disability.
Am J Sports Med, 1999 · PMID 10496574
Finding: In a prospective cohort of 449 Naval Special Warfare trainees tracked through training, dynamic pes planus was identified as a risk factor predisposing trainees to lower-extremity overuse injuries (along with pes cavus, restricted ankle dorsiflexion, and increased hindfoot inversion).
Why it helps: Supports an association between flat-foot structure and lower-extremity overuse injury in a U.S. military training population, helpful for linking flat feet to in-service foot and leg problems.
Medicine (Baltimore), 2022 · PMID 35905246
Finding: In a nationwide cohort of 560,141 19-year-old male army recruits, 2.9% were diagnosed with flatfoot and 0.9% with moderate-to-severe flatfoot on weight-bearing radiographs; the authors note that even asymptomatic flatfoot may increase the risk of metatarsal stress fracture during long-distance walking, with higher BMI associated with flatfoot.
Why it helps: Supports an association between flat feet and elevated stress-fracture risk during the prolonged marching and load-bearing typical of military service, and documents flatfoot prevalence in a young male service-age population.
Foot Ankle Int, 2008 · nexus to anterior knee pain, low back pain · PMID 18778669
Finding: In a retrospective study of 97,279 military recruits, moderate-to-severe pes planus was associated with roughly double the rate of anterior knee pain (7% vs 4%) and intermittent low back pain (10% vs 5%) compared with controls and mild cases (both p < 0.0001), while mild pes planus showed no increased rate.
Why it helps: Supports a secondary association in which moderate-to-severe flat feet are linked to higher rates of knee and low back pain, useful for claiming those conditions as secondary to a service-connected flat-foot disability.
J Orthop Res, 2017 · nexus to knee osteoarthritis · PMID 28370219
Finding: Among 95 patients with medial knee osteoarthritis, bilateral flat feet (present in 25.3%) were significantly associated with greater knee pain (adjusted proportional odds ratio 5.48, 95% CI 1.96-15.3, p = 0.001) after adjusting for age, sex, BMI, and radiographic grade; unilateral flat feet showed no significant association.
Why it helps: Supports a secondary association between bilateral flat feet and worsened knee osteoarthritis pain, helpful when claiming knee OA symptoms as aggravated by or secondary to a service-connected flat-foot condition.
Every citation is real and verified against PubMed. This is general information, not medical or legal advice — your accredited VSO or representative can advise on your specific claim.
Evidence Checklist
Gather these types of evidence before filing your claim. The strongest claims include multiple evidence types.
Common Treatments
Documenting ongoing treatment strengthens your claim and supports higher ratings.
Secondary Conditions Linked to Flat Feet (Pes Planus)
These conditions are commonly claimed as secondary to Flat Feet (Pes Planus). A secondary condition can increase your overall combined rating and monthly compensation.
Plantar Fasciitis
Nexus strength: strong· Commonly granted
Knee Pain
Nexus strength: strong· Commonly granted
Lower Back Pain
Nexus strength: strong· Commonly granted
Ankle Instability
Nexus strength: strong· Commonly granted
Bunions
Nexus strength: strong· Commonly granted
Achilles Tendonitis
Nexus strength: strong· Commonly granted
Hip Pain
Nexus strength: moderate· Commonly granted
Shin Splints
Nexus strength: moderate· Commonly granted
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Related Guides
Flat Feet (Pes Planus) as a Secondary Condition
Flat Feet (Pes Planus) is commonly claimed secondary to these primary conditions:
Filing a Flat Feet (Pes Planus)claim? Don't skip these.
Most veterans filing for Flat Feet (Pes Planus) should also be looking at:
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Draft your Flat Feet (Pes Planus) personal statement
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Secondary Condition Claim Guides
Detailed guides on claiming each secondary condition linked to Flat Feet (Pes Planus).
Flat Feet (Pes Planus) Claim Guide by State
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Educational content, not professional advice
This article is published by Military Transition Toolkit for educational and planning purposes. It is not legal, medical, or financial advice. VA rating criteria, benefits, and regulations change — verify anything benefits-affecting against VA.gov, 38 CFR Part 4, or a VA-accredited representative (VSO, agent, or attorney) before filing.
MTT is a veteran-owned planning tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, or any military branch.