Diagnostic Code 5207 · 38 CFR §4.71a
DC 5207 rates limitation of elbow extension, which is your ability to straighten your arm fully. Normal elbow extension is 0 degrees, meaning a completely straight arm. When extension is limited, you cannot fully straighten your elbow, which affects reaching, carrying objects at your side, and many work tasks. The rating depends on how many degrees short of full extension your elbow reaches. Veterans commonly lose elbow extension from fractures that heal with bone spurs, dislocations, burn contractures, or surgical complications during service.
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 50% | |
| 40% | |
| 30% | |
| 20% | |
| 10% | |
| 0% |
Goniometer measurements showing elbow extension deficit, Medical records documenting the cause of limited extension, Imaging showing bone spurs, malunion, or other structural causes, Documentation of dominant arm, Records of functional limitations from inability to straighten the arm