RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 

PHYSICAL DISABILITY BOARD OF REVIEW 

Rating 
10% 
10% 

Code 
5299-5284 
5299-5284 

 
NAME:  XXXXXXXXXXXXXX                                                                       BRANCH OF SERVICE:  ARMY  
CASE NUMBER:  PD1200657                                                                  SEPARATION DATE:  20020420 
BOARD DATE:  20130125 
 
 
SUMMARY  OF  CASE:    Data  extracted  from  the  available  evidence  of  record  reflects  that  this 
covered individual (CI) was an active duty, SPC/E-4, (68G/Patient Admin Specialist), medically 
separated for chronic bilateral plantar fasciitis.  The CI first presented for bilateral foot pain in 
November  2000.    Despite  extensive  rehabilitative  therapy  to  include  physical  therapy  (PT), 
injections,  duty  limitations,  night  splints,  custom  orthotics  and  various  nonsteroidal  anti-
inflammatory drugs, he did not have any significant resolution of his foot pain and was unable 
to  meet  the  physical  requirements  of  his  Military  Occupational  Specialty  or  satisfy  physical 
fitness standards.  He was issued a permanent L3 profile and referred for a Medical Evaluation 
Board  (MEB).    The  MEB  forwarded  no  other  condition  for  Physical  Evaluation  Board  (PEB) 
consideration.  The PEB adjudicated the bilateral plantar fasciitis as unfitting, rated 10% each, 
with application of the Veterans Affairs Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD).  The CI made 
no appeals, and was medically separated with a 20% combined disability rating.   
 
 
CI CONTENTION:  “For my feet I was given 10% each and my shoulder and hand was awarded 
0% yet I still can’t perform my job in full due to these injuries.  My employer has made changes 
to  my  work  but  it  still  is  very  difficult  to  fulfill  my  duties.”    The  CI  elaborated  no  specific 
contention in his application.  
 
 
SCOPE OF REVIEW:  The Board wishes to clarify that the scope of its review as defined in DoDI 
6040.44, Enclosure 3, paragraph 5.e. (2) is limited to those conditions which were determined 
by the PEB to be specifically unfitting for continued military service; or, when requested by the 
CI, those condition(s) “identified but not determined to be unfitting by the PEB.”  The ratings 
for unfitting conditions will be reviewed in all cases.  The bilateral plantar fasciitis, as requested 
for  consideration  meets  the  criteria  prescribed  in  DoDI  6040.44  for  Board  purview  and,  are 
addressed  below.    The  other  requested  conditions,  shoulder  and  hand,  are  not  within  the 
Board’s purview.  Any conditions or contention not requested in this application, or otherwise 
outside  the  Board’s  defined  scope  of  review,  remain  eligible  for  future  consideration  by  the 
Army Board for Correction of Military Records. 
 
 
RATING COMPARISON:   
 

Code 
5399-5310 
5399-5310 

VA (1 Mos. Pre-Separation) – All Effective Date 20020421 
Service IPEB – Dated 20020123 
Rating 
Condition 
Condition 
10%* 
Plantar Fasciitis R foot 
Chronic  bilateral  plantar 
fasciitis 
Plantar Fasciitis L foot 
10%* 
0% X 4 / Not Service-Connected x 2 
↓No Additional MEB/PEB Entries↓ 
Combined:  20% 
Combined:  20% 
*Plantar Fasciitis was increased to 20% for each foot effective 20071127 
 
 
ANALYSIS SUMMARY:  The Disability Evaluation System (DES) is responsible for maintaining a fit 
and  vital  fighting  force.    While  the  DES  considers  all  of  the  member's  medical  conditions, 
compensation  can  only  be  offered  for  those  medical  conditions  that  cut  short  a  member’s 

Exam 
20020321 
20020321 
20020321 

career, and then only to the degree of severity present at the time of final disposition.  The DES 
has neither the role nor the authority to compensate members for anticipated future severity 
or  potential  complications  of  conditions  resulting  in  medical  separation  nor  for  conditions 
determined  to  be  service-connected  by  the  Department  of  Veterans  Affairs  (DVA)  but  not 
determined to be unfitting by the PEB.  However, the DVA, operating under a different set of 
laws  (Title  38,  United  States  Code),  is  empowered  to  compensate  all  service-connected 
conditions  and  to  periodically  re-evaluate  said  conditions  for  the  purpose  of  adjusting  the 
Veteran’s disability rating should the degree of impairment vary over time.  The Board’s role is 
confined to the review of medical records and all evidence at hand to assess the fairness of PEB 
rating  determinations,  compared  to  VASRD  standards,  based  on  severity  at  the  time  of 
separation.   
 
Chronic  bilateral  plantar  fasciitis.    The  CI  was  seen  on  2  November  2000  with  a  month  long 
history of bilateral heel pain and diagnosed with plantar fasciitis.  Over the next year, the CI was 
treated  with  medications,  PT,  orthotics,  night  splints,  injections,  shoe  of  comfort  and  duty 
limitations  without  adequate  improvement  in  his  symptoms  to  return  to  full  duty.    Surgical 
intervention was offered and declined.  He was given a L3 profile and referred to a MEB.  The 
MEB examination and narrative summary (NARSUM) were both accomplished on 7 November 
2001, a little over 5 months prior to separation.  The CI reported continued heel pain despite 
the  ongoing  therapy.    The  examiner  noted  point  tenderness  about  the  heels.    The  gait  and 
range-of-motion  (ROM)  were  normal.    X-rays  from  December  2000  were  normal  although  a 
podiatry  note  dated  11  October  2001  did  note  calcaneal  spurs  bilaterally.    At  the  VA 
Compensation and Pension (C&P) examination on 21 March 2002, 2 months prior to separation, 
the CI reported bilateral heel pain.  The arches were preserved bilaterally and ROM of the ankle 
normal.  No comment was made on gait or the use of orthotics.   
 
The Board directs attention to its rating recommendation based on the above evidence.  The VA 
and PEB each rated the plantar fasciitis at 10% for each foot.  The VA coded the condition as 
5299-5284, analogous to foot injuries, whereas the PEB used a 5399-5310 code, analogous to 
Group X muscle dysfunction.  The Board noted that there is no specific coding option for plantar 
fasciitis  and  that  no  other  coding  option  for  the  foot  offers  an  advantage  to  the  CI.    With  a 
normal  gait  and  minimal  findings  of  tenderness  on  examination,  no  more  than  a  moderate 
disability can be assigned to the plantar fasciitis condition.  After due deliberation, considering 
all  of  the  evidence  and  mindful  of  VASRD  §4.3  (Resolution  of  reasonable  doubt),  the  Board 
concluded that there was insufficient cause to recommend a change in the PEB adjudication for 
the bilateral plantar fasciitis condition.   
 
 
BOARD FINDINGS:  IAW DoDI 6040.44, provisions of DoD or Military Department regulations or 
guidelines relied upon by the PEB will not be considered by the Board to the extent they were 
inconsistent  with  the  VASRD  in  effect  at  the  time  of  the  adjudication.    The  Board  did  not 
surmise  from  the  record  or  PEB  ruling  in  this  case  that  any  prerogatives  outside  the  VASRD 
were exercised.  In the matter of the bilateral plantar fasciitis condition and IAW VASRD §4.71a 
and 4.73, the Board unanimously recommends no change in the PEB adjudication.  There were 
no other conditions within the Board’s scope of review for consideration.   
 
 

 

   2                                                           PD1200657 
 

RECOMMENDATION:  The Board, therefore, recommends that there be no recharacterization of 
the CI’s disability and separation determination, as follows:   
 

UNFITTING CONDITION 
Bilateral Plantar Fasciitis, Recalcitrant to Therapy 

VASRD CODE 
5399-5310 
COMBINED 
BLF) 

(w/ 

RATING 
10 + 10% 
20% 

 
 
The following documentary evidence was considered: 
 
Exhibit A.  DD Form 294, dated 20120607, w/atchs 
Exhibit B.  Service Treatment Record 
Exhibit C.  Department of Veterans’ Affairs Treatment Record 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

           XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, DAF 
           Director 
           Physical Disability Board of Review 

   3                                                           PD1200657 
 

 
 

 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 

SFMR-RB 
 
 
 
 
MEMORANDUM FOR Commander, US Army Physical Disability Agency  
(TAPD-ZB / XXXXXXXX), 2900 Crystal Drive, Suite 300, Arlington, VA  22202-3557 
 
SUBJECT:  Department of Defense Physical Disability Board of Review Recommendation 
for XXXXXXXXXXXX, AR20130002241 (PD201200657) 
 
 
I have reviewed the enclosed Department of Defense Physical Disability Board of 
Review (DoD PDBR) recommendation and record of proceedings pertaining to the 
subject individual.  Under the authority of Title 10, United States Code, section 1554a,   
I accept the Board’s recommendation and hereby deny the individual’s application.   
This decision is final.  The individual concerned, counsel (if any), and any Members of 
Congress who have shown interest in this application have been notified of this decision 
by mail. 
 
 BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY: 
 
 
 
 
Encl 
 
 
 
 
 

     XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 
     Deputy Assistant Secretary 
         (Army Review Boards) 

 
 
 

 
 
 

 
 
 

 
 
 

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