38 CFR Part 4 — 38 CFR § 4.71a

Os calcis or astragalus, malunion of — VA Diagnostic Code 5273

Musculoskeletal

Diagnostic code

5273

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38 CFR § 4.71a lists Diagnostic Code 5273 in the table captioned “The Ankle.” The title is “Os calcis or astragalus, malunion of:”. The colon is in the schedule. The rating cell on that title is empty. “Marked deformity” is 20. “Moderate deformity” is 10. Neither criteria line ends with a period. The table has one Rating column. Appendix B to Part 4 indexes “Os calcis or astragalus, malunion.” and ends with a period.

Reviewed 2026-10-05. Text checked against the eCFR versioner full-text XML for 2026-10-01 on 2026-10-05. Title 38 was up to date as of 2026-10-01 and last amended on 2026-08-27. The § 4.71a source note prints 29 FR 6718, May 22, 1964, as amended at 34 FR 5062, Mar. 11, 1969; 40 FR 42536, Sept. 15, 1975; 41 FR 11294, Mar. 18, 1976; 43 FR 45350, Oct. 2, 1978; 51 FR 6411, Feb. 24, 1986; 61 FR 20439, May 7, 1996; 67 FR 48785, July 26, 2002; 67 FR 54349, Aug. 22, 2002; 68 FR 51456, Aug. 27, 2003; 69 FR 32450, June 10, 2004; 80 FR 42041, July 16, 2015; 85 FR 76460, Nov. 30, 2020, 85 FR 85523, Dec. 29, 2020, 86 FR 8142, Feb. 4, 2021. The § 4.63 source note prints 29 FR 6718, May 22, 1964, as amended at 43 FR 45349, Oct. 2, 1978.

The rating criteria at each level

5273 Os calcis or astragalus, malunion of

Rating %: 20

Criteria (verbatim). Marked deformity

Rating %: 10

Criteria (verbatim). Moderate deformity

Rating %	Criteria (verbatim)
20	Marked deformity
10	Moderate deformity

The Ankle table has one Rating column. It does not split Major and Minor.

The 20 and the 10 do not end with a period. The title ends with a colon, not a period.

DC 5273 does not print a 0 percent line and does not print a note of its own.

DC 5272 is the row above: subastragalar or tarsal joint, ankylosis of, 20 in poor weight-bearing position and 10 in good weight-bearing position. DC 5274 is the next row, “Astragalectomy”, at 20. That title does not end with a colon. DC 5270 is ankle ankylosis. DC 5271 is ankle, limited motion of: marked is 20, and moderate is 10, each with a parenthetical about degrees. DC 5273’s lines are “Marked deformity” and “Moderate deformity.” They do not print those degree parentheticals.

38 CFR § 4.7 assigns the higher rating when the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria required for that rating. Otherwise, the lower rating will be assigned. 38 CFR § 4.6 requires each element affecting the evidence to be studied so that decisions will be equitable and just. 38 CFR § 4.31 says that in every instance where the schedule does not provide a zero percent evaluation for a diagnostic code, a zero percent evaluation shall be assigned when the requirements for a compensable evaluation are not met.

The 2026-10-01 text of 38 CFR § 3.309 does not contain “os calcis” or “astragalus.” DC 5273 is a rating-schedule line.

Source: 38 CFR § 4.71a, Diagnostic Code 5273, eCFR full-text XML for 2026-10-01.

What the words mean in your records

Marked 20 and moderate 10

Those are the only two criteria lines under DC 5273. The words are “Marked deformity” and “Moderate deformity.” Neither line ends with a period.

One rating column

The Ankle table header is a blank criteria column and “Rating.” DC 5273 does not print a dominant column and a nondominant column.

Appendix B drops “of”

The rating title is “Os calcis or astragalus, malunion of:”. Appendix B says “Os calcis or astragalus, malunion.” with a period.

Evidence that speaks to each level

What the rater needs to see. Malunion of the os calcis or astragalus with marked deformity, which is the 20 percent line.

Where that usually lives. Imaging and the examination description of the deformity.

What the rater needs to see. Malunion of the os calcis or astragalus with moderate deformity.

Where that usually lives. The same imaging and examination, read against the 10 percent line.

Level	What the rater needs to see	Where that usually lives
20	Malunion of the os calcis or astragalus with marked deformity, which is the 20 percent line.	Imaging and the examination description of the deformity.
10	Malunion of the os calcis or astragalus with moderate deformity.	The same imaging and examination, read against the 10 percent line.

VA’s public DBQ list, checked October 5, 2026, names “Ankle” under Musculoskeletal. The file is Ankle.

The exam form

DC 5273 prints 20 for marked deformity and 10 for moderate deformity. This page does not say the ankle form replaces those two words.

Related codes and how they interact

Astragalectomy is the next row.

DC 5274 is a single line, “Astragalectomy,” at 20, with no colon. DC 5272 is ankylosis of the subastragalar or tarsal joint, at 20 or 10 by weight-bearing position. DC 5273 is malunion, at 20 or 10 by marked or moderate deformity.

Secondary conditions and presumptions

Section 3.309 does not contain “os calcis” or “astragalus.” DC 5273 is a rating-schedule line.

A separate question, when a presumption does not decide it, is a medical question on the facts under 38 CFR § 3.310. Paragraph (a) covers disability proximately due to or the result of a service-connected disease or injury. Paragraph (b) covers increase in severity and requires a medical baseline.

Short answers

How does VA rate malunion of the os calcis or astragalus?

Under 38 CFR § 4.71a, Diagnostic Code 5273 is 20 percent for marked deformity and 10 percent for moderate deformity. Education only. VA decides on the evidence.

Does Appendix B keep the word “of”?

The rating title ends “malunion of:”. Appendix B says “Os calcis or astragalus, malunion.” with a period.

FAQ

What percentages does DC 5273 print?

20 for marked deformity and 10 for moderate deformity. The title ends with a colon. Neither criteria line ends with a period. Education only.

Is astragalectomy the same code?

Astragalectomy is DC 5274. It prints 20 and does not use the words marked or moderate. The title “Astragalectomy” does not end with a colon.

Does DC 5273 print a zero?

No. Section 4.31 assigns a zero percent evaluation when the requirements for a compensable evaluation are not met and the schedule does not provide a zero percent evaluation for that diagnostic code.

Next steps

Read the decision for DC 5273 and whether it used marked deformity or moderate deformity.
The free worksheet is a place to write the code, the findings, and the records you already have. It does not file a claim or protect a filing date. An accredited representative is at find a VSO.
Other musculoskeletal codes are on the musculoskeletal diagnostic-code index. The category page is musculoskeletal conditions.

Education only. Not legal or medical advice. My Claim Packet is not a VA-accredited representative and does not file claims. VA decides every claim on its own evidence.

Other codes in this body system

Nearby catalog entries in Musculoskeletal, ordered by diagnostic code number. All Musculoskeletal codes

Also: DC code lookup (tools) lists the same index in a compact layout.

Source: 38 CFR Part 4, Diagnostic Code 5273 • va.gov

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This page provides general educational information based on public VA regulations and VA.gov resources. It is not legal or medical advice, and My Claim Packet is not a VA-accredited representative. Any worksheets or draft documents produced by the tools must be reviewed for accuracy and are not filed with VA for you. Ratings and service connection are decided case-by-case from the individual record. Consult a VA-accredited VSO, claims agent, attorney, or qualified clinician for help with your situation, and verify current rules using the linked official source.