What can I claim secondary to joint instability?
4 conditions in the Repatriation Medical Authority's Statements of Principles list joint instability as a factor. If DVA has accepted your joint instability, each of these has a documented pathway to a further claim.
At a glance
- Accepted conditionJoint instability
- Conditions it may open4
- SourceRMA SoPs
- Chart Review$600 + GST
How a secondary claim works
Some Statement of Principles factors are not about service at all — they name another condition. Where DVA has already accepted your joint instability, and another condition's SoP lists joint instability as a factor, that part of the next claim is already established on your file. How a secondary claim works, in full →
Conditions that list joint instability as a factor
Quoted from the instrument. A pathway existing is not the same as a claim succeeding — each factor carries thresholds your record has to satisfy.
Achilles tendinopathy
RH No. 86 of 2024 · BoP No. 87 of 2024
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (4): “having one or more of the following conditions involving the affected lower limb at the time of clinical onset or clinical worsening: (a) pes planus; (b) pes cavus; (c) decreased ankle or forefoot flexibility; (d) forefoot varus; (e) lateral ankle joint instability” [onset and worsening]
This factor appears in the Reasonable Hypothesis instrument only, which applies to operational service.
Osteoarthritis
BoP No. 62 of 2017
Balance of Probabilities — factor (22): “having joint instability or dislocation of the affected joint, at least one year before the clinical onset of osteoarthritis in that joint” [clinical onset] — factor (45): “having joint instability or dislocation of the affected joint, at least one year before the clinical worsening of osteoarthritis in that joint” [worsening]
This condition has a Balance of Probabilities instrument only, so the same test applies whatever your service type.
Pes planus
RH No. 67 of 2021 · BoP No. 68 of 2021
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (2): “having a dislocation of a joint or subluxation of a joint or joint instability involving one or more tarsal or metatarsal bones of the medial longitudinal arch of the affected foot before the clinical onset of pes planus” [clinical onset] — factor (14): “having a dislocation of a joint or subluxation of a joint or joint instability involving one or more tarsal or metatarsal bones of the medial longitudinal arch of the affected foot before the clinical worsening of pes planus” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (2): “having a dislocation of a joint or subluxation of a joint or joint instability involving one or more tarsal or metatarsal bones of the medial longitudinal arch of the affected foot before the clinical onset of pes planus” [clinical onset] — factor (13): “having a dislocation of a joint or subluxation of a joint or joint instability involving one or more tarsal or metatarsal bones of the medial longitudinal arch of the affected foot before the clinical worsening of pes planus” [worsening]
Note: tarsal or metatarsal bones of the medial longitudinal arch is defined in the Schedule 1 - Dictionary.
Rotator cuff syndrome
RH No. 109 of 2022 · BoP No. 110 of 2022
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (10): “having joint instability of the affected shoulder, or dislocation or subluxation of the affected shoulder joint before the clinical onset of rotator cuff syndrome” [clinical onset] — factor (30): “having joint instability of the affected shoulder, or dislocation or subluxation of the affected shoulder joint before the clinical worsening of rotator cuff syndrome” [worsening]
Balance of Probabilities — factor (9): “having joint instability of the affected shoulder, or dislocation or subluxation of the affected shoulder joint before the clinical onset of rotator cuff syndrome” [clinical onset] — factor (25): “having joint instability of the affected shoulder, or dislocation or subluxation of the affected shoulder joint before the clinical worsening of rotator cuff syndrome” [worsening]
Other accepted conditions that also open achilles tendinopathy
If any of these is also on your file, it reaches some of the same conditions joint instability does.
What DVA means by joint instability
A claim is tested against the definition first. If the diagnosis on your file does not meet this wording, the factors below never get reached — so it is worth checking that what your doctor wrote matches what the instrument requires.
Joint instability, for the purposes of the Statement of Principles, for the purposes of this Statement of Principles, joint instability: (a) means an acquired lack of stability of a joint due to damage to or abnormality of the stabilising structures of that joint, manifesting as recurrent subluxation, recurrent dislocation or recurrent sprain; and (b) includes joints with an internal joint prosthesis; and (c) excludes spondylolisthesis, and the loosening or migration of the fixation component of an internal joint prosthesis. (3) While joint instability attracts ICD-10-AM code M22.0, M22.1, M23.5, M24.2, M24.4, M25.3, M43.3, M43.4, M43.5, M53.2 or T84.0, in applying this Statement of Principles the meaning of joint instability is that given in subsection (2). (4) For subsection (3), a reference to an ICD-10-AM code is a reference to the code assigned to a particular kind of injury or disease in The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM), Tenth Edition, effective date of 1 July 2017, copyrighted by the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, ISBN 978-1-76007-296-4.
Note the exclusion. This instrument expressly excludes spondylolisthesis, and the loosening or migration of the fixation component of an internal joint prosthesis. A diagnosis of that is not a diagnosis of joint instability, and a claim framed the wrong way fails on the definition before any factor is considered.
Aggravation-only factors. In this instrument, subsections 9(14) to 9(25) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of, joint instability where it was already present before or during service. If service caused joint instability outright, those factors are not available to you.
RH No. 57 of 2019
What could support a claim for joint instability?
The Statement of Principles for joint instability names 3 other conditions among its own factors. If any of these is already accepted on your file, it may be the factor that carries a joint instability claim — quoted here from the instrument.
Fracture
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (5): “having a fracture or bony abnormality involving the articulating surfaces of the affected joint before the clinical onset of joint instability” [clinical onset]
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (16): “having a fracture or bony abnormality involving the articulating surfaces of the affected joint before the clinical worsening of joint instability” [worsening]
Morbid obesity
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (12): “for total knee joint prosthesis joint instability only, having morbid obesity at the time of the clinical onset of joint instability” [clinical onset]
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (23): “for total knee joint prosthesis joint instability only, having morbid obesity at the time of the clinical worsening of joint instability” [worsening]
Epicondylitis
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (13): “for elbow joint instability only, having more than three local glucocorticoid injections for epicondylitis before the clinical onset of joint instability” [clinical onset]
Reasonable Hypothesis — factor (24): “for elbow joint instability only, having more than three local glucocorticoid injections for epicondylitis before the clinical worsening of joint instability” [worsening]
Reviewed by Dr Thomas Perkins
Founding doctor, Veterans Health Centre · former RAAF aviation medical officer · 13 years working exclusively with ADF members and veterans. Full profile →
Joint instability accepted?
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