Diagnostic Code 5236 · 38 CFR §4.71a
The sacroiliac joint connects the base of your spine to your pelvis. Sacroiliac joint dysfunction causes pain in the lower back, buttocks, and sometimes down the leg, and can significantly affect walking, sitting, and standing. The condition can result from direct trauma to the pelvis, repetitive heavy lifting, parachute landings, pregnancy-related pelvic changes, or the cumulative impact of running and rucking during service. It is a commonly underdiagnosed source of low back pain that many veterans attribute to their lumbar spine when the sacroiliac joint is actually the primary pain generator.
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 100% | |
| 50% | |
| 40% | |
| 20% | |
| 10% |
Medical records documenting sacroiliac joint dysfunction connected to service, Imaging of the sacroiliac joints showing abnormality, Positive provocative testing for sacroiliac joint dysfunction, Spinal range of motion measurements, Documentation of how the condition affects walking and daily activities