The Playbook › Condition guides
Years of running in boots, marching with a load, and standing on hard decks and flight lines take a toll on feet. Plantar fasciitis and flat feet are the two foot conditions veterans claim most. Each has its own diagnostic code and its own criteria.
Plantar fasciitis only received a dedicated code in February 2021. Advice written before then, which describes rating it “by analogy” to flat feet, is out of date.
The short version
- Plantar fasciitis, Diagnostic Code 5269: 10%, 20%, or 30%, depending on whether treatment including surgery has failed, and whether one or both feet are affected.
- Flat feet, Diagnostic Code 5276: 0% to 50%, based on deformity, pain, swelling, and whether orthotics help.
- The same foot symptoms cannot be paid for twice under two codes.
- Foot conditions commonly lead to knee, hip, and back problems that can be rated as secondary conditions.
On this page
Plantar fasciitis, Diagnostic Code 5269
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 10% | Plantar fasciitis in one or both feet, where the higher criteria are not met |
| 20% | No relief from both non-surgical and surgical treatment, one foot |
| 30% | No relief from both non-surgical and surgical treatment, both feet |
| 40% | Actual loss of use of the foot |
Two points matter:
- The 10% rating is the same whether one foot or both are affected.
- The 20% and 30% ratings require that surgery was tried and did not help. However, if a doctor has recommended surgery but you are not a surgical candidate, VA rates you at the 20% or 30% level as if the surgery had failed. If that is your situation, make sure the recommendation and the reason you cannot have surgery are written in your records.
Flat feet, Diagnostic Code 5276
| Level | What it looks like | One foot | Both feet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mild | Symptoms relieved by a built-up shoe or arch support | 0% | 0% |
| Moderate | Weight-bearing line over or inside the great toe, inward bowing of the Achilles tendon, pain on manipulation and use of the feet | 10% | 10% |
| Severe | Objective marked deformity, pain on manipulation and use accentuated, swelling on use, characteristic calluses | 20% | 30% |
| Pronounced | Marked pronation, extreme tenderness of the soles, marked inward displacement and severe spasm of the Achilles tendon on manipulation, not improved by orthopedic shoes or appliances | 30% | 50% |
The line between severe and pronounced often turns on whether orthotics help. If you have been issued inserts or special shoes and still have pain, say so clearly.
Flat feet you had before service
Flat feet are often noted on entrance exams. That does not end the claim. If the condition was noted at entry and got permanently worse during service, VA can compensate the worsening. If it was not noted at entry, you are presumed to have entered in sound condition. Compare your entrance exam to your separation exam and later records.
Can you be rated for both?
VA will not pay twice for the same symptoms. Because plantar fasciitis and flat feet both cause pain on the soles and on use, VA frequently assigns one rating that covers both, under whichever code gives the higher result. Separate ratings are possible only when each condition produces distinct symptoms. If you have both diagnoses, claim both and let the evidence show what each one causes.
Getting service connected
- Direct. Sick call visits for foot or heel pain, profiles limiting running or marching, issued orthotics or inserts, and a diagnosis in service.
- Aggravation. For flat feet noted at entry, as above.
- Secondary. Less common for feet, but possible where a service-connected knee, ankle, or leg condition changed how you walk.
If you were never seen for it in service, statements from people who watched you limp through formations help. See buddy statements.
Evidence that helps
- Podiatry records and a current diagnosis
- A record of every treatment tried: stretching, inserts, night splints, injections, physical therapy, shockwave therapy, surgery
- Prescriptions for orthotics, and a note on whether they helped
- Imaging, if you have it
- Your own statement: how far you can walk, how long you can stand, morning pain, what you have stopped doing
- Work evidence if your job requires standing
At the C&P exam
- Describe pain on use, not only at rest. First steps in the morning, after standing, after walking.
- Bring your orthotics and say whether they help.
- Describe flare-ups and how long they last.
- Mention swelling and calluses.
- Explain the effect on work and daily activity.
See the C&P exam guide.
What foot conditions lead to
Changing the way you walk to protect a painful foot puts stress on everything above it. Common secondary conditions:
- Knee problems. See knee ratings.
- Hip and lower back problems. See back ratings.
- Ankle instability and Achilles tendon problems
- Depression from chronic pain and reduced activity
Each needs a diagnosis and a medical opinion. See secondary conditions. Both feet, or a foot and the opposite knee, also qualify for the bilateral factor explained in VA math.
Free printable checklist. Everything to gather before you file, what to bring to your C&P exam, and what to check in your decision, on two pages.
Last reviewed October 2026. This guide is general educational information, not legal or medical advice, and this site is not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Rules and rates change. Confirm details on VA.gov or with an accredited representative. See our disclaimer and editorial policy.