Injury to muscles that push the foot forward during walking.
Because the ratings here are governed by § 4.56, the evidence that matters most is what shows how severely the muscles of this group are damaged and how much function has been lost. Medical records documenting the original wound or injury — its size, depth, and which specific muscles were affected — lay the foundation. Exam findings such as muscle strength testing, range-of-motion measurements for plantar flexion, toe flexion, and knee flexion, and notes about muscle atrophy or tenderness all speak directly to severity.
Imaging, surgical reports, and physical therapy records can show the extent of tissue loss or scarring. Findings about instability of the arch or difficulty bearing weight also bear on severity. Your own statements, and statements from people who see you daily, describing limits in walking, standing, climbing stairs, or other weight-bearing activities help show functional loss. If weakness or loss of function is so severe that you cannot use the limb, that finding becomes relevant to whether special monthly compensation may apply under § 3.350.
Conditions that are often caused or made worse by this one. If you have any of these, they may be claimable as secondary service connection.
