Pes Planus (Flat Feet) Getting Worse? What Veterans Should Know

If you already have a VA disability rating for Pes Planus, you know that flat feet are not always something that stays the same over time.

Maybe standing for long periods bothers you more than it used to. Maybe walking has become increasingly painful. Or maybe the orthotics that once gave you some relief are not helping nearly as much anymore.

For some veterans, Pes Planus can become more limiting over the years. When that happens, the VA disability rating you received in the past may no longer reflect what you are dealing with today.

If your service-connected Pes Planus has legitimately gotten worse, you may be able to file an increased claim with the VA. That does not mean every veteran with flat feet should seek a higher rating. It means that when a service-connected disability becomes more severe, veterans have a process for asking the VA to evaluate their current condition.

What Does a Pes Planus VA Rating Increase Mean?

A Pes Planus VA rating increase applies when you are already service-connected for flat feet, but your condition has become more severe since the VA last evaluated it.

That is different from filing a claim to establish service connection for the first time.

At this point, the issue is not whether your Pes Planus is related to your military service. The question is whether the symptoms and limitations you are experiencing today are more severe than what your existing disability rating reflects.

The VA refers to this type of filing as an increased disability claim.

How Can You Tell If Your Pes Planus Is Getting Worse?

There is a difference between having an especially bad day with your feet and experiencing a meaningful change in your condition.

For many veterans, worsening Pes Planus happens gradually. You may not be able to point to one specific day when everything changed.

Instead, you might realize you cannot stay on your feet as long as you used to. Pain may start earlier in the day. Walking certain distances may require more breaks. Activities you once handled without thinking about them may now be something you avoid.

Signs that your flat feet may be becoming more limiting can include:

• Increased pain when standing or walking
• More frequent swelling after spending time on your feet
• Greater tenderness in your feet
• Increasing difficulty walking longer distances
• Changes in the shape or alignment of your feet
• Orthotics or supportive footwear providing less relief
• Foot pain interfering more with work or everyday activities

Experiencing one of these symptoms does not automatically mean you qualify for a Pes Planus VA rating increase.

What matters is whether the evidence shows that your service-connected condition has become more severe.

What Does the VA Look at When Pes Planus Gets Worse?

The VA evaluates Pes Planus based on the severity of the condition and the symptoms a veteran is experiencing.

That can include pain with use, tenderness, swelling, changes in the structure or alignment of the foot, and how well symptoms respond to orthopedic shoes or appliances.

If you are trying to understand the different rating levels and how the VA evaluates flat feet, we cover that in more detail in our guide to Pes Planus VA disability ratings.

For an increased claim, however, the important question is what your condition looks like now.

That is why documenting the changes you are experiencing matters.

You may know that your feet hurt considerably more than they did three years ago, but the VA still needs evidence that helps show how your disability has progressed.

What Evidence Can Show That Your Pes Planus Has Worsened?

If your service-connected flat feet have become worse, current evidence can help show the VA what has changed.

That evidence can come from several places.

Medical Records

Treatment records can help establish a history of worsening symptoms.

If you have been seeing a primary care provider, podiatrist, orthopedist, physical therapist, or another medical professional because of your feet, those records may document how your condition has changed.

They could show increasing pain, swelling, tenderness, problems walking, changes in gait, or other symptoms that have become more significant over time.

Changes in Treatment

Think about how you were treating your Pes Planus when you first received your rating compared with what you are doing today.

Maybe basic shoe inserts used to be enough, but you eventually needed prescription orthotics. Maybe you have tried different footwear, physical therapy, medication, injections, or other treatment because your symptoms became more difficult to manage.

The point is not simply that you have received more treatment.

The history of that treatment may help show how your condition has progressed.

Statements About Your Everyday Limitations

Medical records matter, but they may not capture everything.

Sometimes the biggest changes are the ones you notice during normal life.

Maybe you used to spend an entire work shift on your feet but now have to sit down regularly. Maybe going to the grocery store, doing yard work, exercising, attending your children’s activities, or walking around for an afternoon has become much more difficult.

Those are real limitations.

Veterans may submit lay evidence describing how a disability affects them, and people who know you may also be able to describe changes they have observed.

The goal is not to make your symptoms sound worse than they are. It is to give an accurate picture of what living with your Pes Planus looks like now.

What If Your Orthotics Are No Longer Helping?

Many veterans with flat feet use orthotics, supportive shoes, or other devices to help manage their symptoms.

But the amount of relief those devices provide can change.

If orthotics once helped control your pain and are now providing very little relief, that is worth discussing with your medical provider.

The VA considers the effectiveness of orthopedic shoes and appliances as part of its criteria for evaluating acquired flatfoot.

That does not mean ineffective orthotics automatically result in a higher rating.

It is one part of the larger picture the VA may consider when evaluating how severe your condition has become.

A Pes Planus Increase Is Different From a Secondary Condition

This distinction is important.

If your flat feet themselves are becoming more severe, you may be dealing with an increased claim for your existing Pes Planus disability.

If your Pes Planus has caused or aggravated a different medical condition, you may instead be looking at a secondary service-connected disability.

For example, changes in the way you stand or walk because of flat feet may affect other parts of the body. We explain those situations separately in our guide to Pes Planus secondary conditions.

These are related issues, but they are not the same claim.

You can have worsening Pes Planus without developing another disability. You can also develop a secondary condition without your current Pes Planus rating necessarily changing.

Knowing which situation applies to you can help you focus on the right evidence.

Do Not Wait Until an Exam to Think About Your Symptoms

If your Pes Planus has gotten worse, start paying attention to what has changed.

How long can you stand before the pain becomes difficult to manage?

Can you walk the same distances you could a few years ago?

Do you need more breaks during the workday?

Are there activities you have stopped doing because of your feet?

You do not need to exaggerate any of this.

In fact, you shouldn’t.

Be specific about what you experience.

Saying that your feet “hurt really bad” provides far less information than explaining that after 30 minutes on your feet, the pain becomes significant enough that you need to sit down.

Those everyday details can help paint a much clearer picture of how your condition affects you.

Does Filing for an Increase Guarantee a Higher Pes Planus Rating?

No.

Filing an increased claim does not guarantee that the VA will raise your disability rating.

The VA will review the evidence and determine whether the current severity of your condition supports a different evaluation.

That is why the goal should not be figuring out how to reach a certain disability percentage.

The goal is making sure the VA has an accurate picture of the service-connected condition you are living with today.

If your Pes Planus has genuinely worsened, updated medical records, your treatment history, statements about your limitations, and findings from any examinations can help provide that picture.

What Should You Do If Your Flat Feet Are Getting Worse?

Start with your health.

If you are experiencing increasing pain, swelling, difficulty walking, or other changes, talk with a medical professional about what you are experiencing.

That is important regardless of whether you decide to file an increased claim.

It can also create a clearer medical record showing how your Pes Planus has changed.

From there, take a look at your existing VA disability rating and the evidence you have available.

You do not need to file for an increase because you had a few especially painful days. But if your service-connected Pes Planus has become noticeably more severe and your current rating no longer seems to reflect what you are experiencing, it may be worth learning more about your options.

Veteran Alliance helps veterans understand their VA disability claims and the evidence that may be relevant to their individual circumstances.

If your service-connected Pes Planus has gotten worse, contact Veteran Alliance to learn more about your options.