Limited ability to bend the knee, making movements such as sitting, squatting, or climbing harder.
The most direct evidence for this condition is a measurement of your knee's range of motion. A VA examination or private medical record that records the degrees of flexion you can achieve is central to establishing which rating level applies. Goniometer readings taken during a physical examination are the standard way those measurements are documented.
Records showing why your motion is restricted — such as imaging, surgical reports, or treatment notes — help establish the connection between your knee condition and the limitation found on exam. If your flexion varies from visit to visit, multiple measurements over time can reflect that.
Statements from you or people who know you can support the record by describing how limited knee bending affects tasks like climbing stairs, getting in and out of a vehicle, kneeling, or sustained sitting and standing at work. These statements are most useful when they tie directly to the specific activities that require bending the knee to the degrees described in the rating criteria.
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.
