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VA Conditions Secondary to Knee Pain
The strenuous physical activity of military service can damage the knees’ bones and soft tissues. Numerous veterans develop chronic knee pain that limits their ability to function or sustain a job, prompting them to claim disability benefits. Service-connected knee pain often causes or exacerbates secondary medical conditions. Secondary conditions caused by or connected to your original service-connected knee pain may qualify you for additional compensation.
Veterans Guide is here to assist. We can help you increase your VA disability rating through a claim for a secondary condition so you can access the additional benefits you deserve.
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Content Reviewed by: Matt Coveney
Last Modified Date: August 21, 2025
How Knee Pain Leads to Secondary Conditions
Whether it develops from a traumatic injury, wear and tear, or another service-related cause, knee pain can affect your daily functioning and lead to other physical or mental health conditions. These may stem from the pain itself or from medications you take to control the pain.
If you have already received a disability rating for knee pain from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, a secondary condition may qualify you for additional benefits. Secondary conditions are those that have a direct link to a service-connected disability.
Veterans with disabling knee pain are likely to develop additional musculoskeletal injuries, because compensating for discomfort in one body part affects the other bones, joints, and muscles. Mental health conditions and medication side effects are also common.
Common Secondary Conditions Linked to Knee Pain
Knee pain has a significant effect on a patient’s body and mind. Many veterans with knee pain go on to develop other disabling physical conditions, such as the following:
- Arthritis
- Back pain
- Hip pain
- Ankle and foot pain
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease
Several mental health conditions are also linked to knee pain, such as depression and anxiety, due to the emotional weight of limitations, including difficulties getting around.
Arthritis Secondary to Knee Pain
While many people with arthritis develop knee pain as a symptom, the connection may also go the other way. Injury or strain on the knee joint often wears down the cartilage faster than usual, causing osteoarthritis.
This condition is more likely if the veteran has other risk factors, such as a high body mass index or ongoing stress on the joint. For example, a veteran who works in a warehouse after receiving their discharge may be more likely to develop osteoarthritis than someone with a desk job.
To establish arthritis secondary to knee injury or pain, you must submit documentation connecting the condition to your service-connected knee pain.
Back Pain Secondary to Knee Pain
The knees and back are interconnected parts. Veterans with knee pain often change their gait to accommodate their discomfort, causing misalignment that damages or puts pressure on the lower back. Medical professionals frequently refer to these injuries as lumbar strain, which the VA recognizes as a potential disability.
Muscle tightness can also lead to further damage. Knee pain may cause patients to tighten the muscles in their legs, which affects the back and can lead to chronic back pain.
Hip Pain Secondary to Knee Pain
Gait and muscle changes from knee issues can also cause and contribute to hip pain. For example, hip and knee movement both involve the femoral muscles that run down the upper leg. If a patient favors their knee due to pain, that can affect these muscles and surrounding soft tissues, causing misalignment and degeneration of the hip.
Ankle and Foot Pain Secondary to Knee Pain
Just as knee pain can exacerbate discomfort in the hips and back, it can also cause issues in the lower extremities. In some cases, it may aggravate existing ankle or foot issues, such as flat feet. These aggravations can result when a patient’s gait changes to accommodate knee pain.
Such changes may put more strain on the ankle, a secondary weight-bearing joint. Over time, gait disturbances can increase the risk of sprains, strains, and issues, like plantar fasciitis.
Mental Health Conditions Secondary to Knee Pain
Research shows that individuals living with chronic pain are at a higher risk of mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. In one screening, 47% of individuals with chronic pain showed signs of severe depression, compared to 36% of those without pain.
Researchers attribute this connection to increased stress and sleep problems related to pain. Mobility limitations and social isolation may also play a role, particularly for those with knee pain that impacts function.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Secondary to Knee Pain
Many patients with knee pain take medication that increases the risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. Common culprits include opioids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen and naproxen.
Establishing a Secondary Service Connection for Knee Pain
Knee pain as a primary condition can receive a disability rating from 0% to 60%, depending on the extent of the pain and mobility limitations. However, if you develop a condition that is related to your knee pain, or if your knee pain worsens an existing condition, filing an additional claim can help you increase your disability rating.
The process and requirements are similar to those for primary conditions. You must provide evidence of your secondary condition and its connection to a service-connected disability.
If decision-makers need more information, they may ask you to attend a Compensation and Pension exam, or C&P.
If the VA approves your claim, it will issue a combined rating, typically higher than your previous rating.
TDIU for Secondary Conditions to Knee Pain
Because an approved secondary claim gives you an additional rating, it may qualify you for Total Disability based on Individual Unemployability, or TDIU. TDIU eligibility requires a single disability rating of 60% or a combined rating of 70%, with at least one of those ratings being 40% or higher.
If you apply for TDIU and are approved, you will receive benefits equivalent to those awarded for a 100% disability rating.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The following are some answers we commonly receive from veterans about secondary conditions related to service-connected knee pain:
Can I Get a Secondary Service Connection for Arthritis if I Already Have Knee Pain?
If you have received a VA disability rating for knee pain and develop arthritis connected to that condition, you may qualify for a rating increase for your arthritis.
How Do I Prove My Secondary Condition Is Linked to My Knee Pain?
You must have a formal diagnosis of your secondary condition and documentation from a medical provider linking it to your disabling knee pain. The standard way to prove this connection is with a nexus letter.
What Should I Do if My Claim for Secondary Service Connection Is Denied?
If the VA denies your claim and you have additional information supporting your case, you may file a supplemental claim. Otherwise, you may request a higher-level review from a more senior VA representative or a Veterans Law judge. Having professional help with this process can increase your chances of approval.
How Can Secondary Conditions Affect My VA Disability Rating?
If your secondary condition qualifies for a disability rating, the VA will combine that rating with the one you received for your primary service-connected condition. This typically results in a higher rating, though the process is more complex than simply adding the two numbers. The VA uses its combined ratings table to determine the new rating.
Establish Your Secondary Conditions Today
Conditions secondary to your service-connected knee pain can qualify you for additional VA benefits. If you have already received a VA disability rating for your knee pain, you can file a claim for the secondary condition. However, navigating the process can be challenging.
Whether you’re filing a new claim or appealing a denial, Veterans Guide can connect you with experienced VA disability lawyers and advocates who can help. Contact us today for assistance with seeking the benefits you deserve.
Need Help?
CONTACT US TODAY!
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