Hip and Thigh Conditions DBQ explained

What this DBQ covers

The hip and thigh questionnaire combines diagnosis and history with movement testing and functional limitation. It also has sections for femur or flail-joint impairment, surgical procedures and assistive devices. Those clinical findings are not all implied by the presence of hip pain. The clinician should identify the condition, side and appropriate examination findings.

The important sections, explained

Different directions of hip movement

The hip moves in several directions, and the form evaluates them separately. It includes questions related to moving the thigh inward or outward and practical positions such as crossing the legs. Describe difficulties with sitting, getting into a car, dressing or other ordinary tasks. The examiner measures movement and assesses functional loss. You do not need to force a painful position to demonstrate a limitation or decide which technical motion name best fits it.

Read the official form: page 4

Surgery, thigh findings and devices

Separate sections address femur or hip-joint impairment and surgical procedures. If you have had a hip replacement or another operation, bring the operative date and relevant follow-up. Describe the current use of a cane or other support and why it is used. Back, knee or nerve symptoms may also affect walking. Identify them separately so the examiner can assess the hip and thigh findings without assuming all lower-body limitations share one cause.

Read the official form: page 10

How to prepare useful information

Explain how walking, getting into a chair, dressing or other relevant tasks are affected. Describe what changes after repeated activity and during flares, including how long the limitation lasts. If there has been a replacement or other operation, provide the exact procedure and follow-up records. Your descriptions help explain function; the clinician performs and interprets movement and other clinical assessments.

Records to gather

Start with records you already have. Bring the relevant information to your clinician and explain any gaps or uncertain dates.

• Hip or femur imaging, orthopedic notes and the diagnosis history.
• Replacement or other operative reports, rehabilitation and device records.
• Examples of walking, sitting or dressing limitations and their pattern with repeated use or flares.

A detail that is easy to miss

Do not let the name hip replacement replace the current functional history. Explain what improved after the procedure and what remains difficult now. Identify the affected side and any later revision. If a device is used mainly for another condition, say so. The form's detailed clinical findings should not be inferred from the presence of a cane alone.

Find your way around the official form

These section headings come from the linked VA PDF. Each link opens the page where the section begins. Read the form's own instructions for the full questions and any required attachments.

1. SECTION I - DIAGNOSISPage 1
2. SECTION II - MEDICAL HISTORYPage 3
3. SECTION III - RANGE OF MOTION (ROM) AND FUNCTIONAL LIMITATIONPage 4
4. SECTION IV - MUSCLE ATROPHYPage 9
5. SECTION V - ANKYLOSISPage 9
6. SECTION VI - FEMUR OR FLAIL HIP JOINT IMPAIRMENTPage 10
7. SECTION VII - SURGICAL PROCEDURESPage 10
8. SECTION VIII - OTHER PERTINENT PHYSICAL FINDINGS, COMPLICATIONS, CONDITIONS, SIGNS, SYMPTOMS, AND SCARSPage 11
9. SECTION IX - ASSISTIVE DEVICESPage 11
10. SECTION X - REMAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTION OF THE EXTREMITIESPage 12
11. SECTION XI - DIAGNOSTIC TESTINGPage 12
12. SECTION XII - FUNCTIONAL IMPACTPage 13
13. SECTION XIII - REMARKSPage 13
14. SECTION XIV - EXAMINER'S CERTIFICATION AND SIGNATUREPage 13

Who completes the clinical sections?

The healthcare provider completes the clinical assessment, identifies the records reviewed, and signs the questionnaire. You can gather records and describe symptoms and daily limitations. Measurements, diagnoses, and clinical conclusions belong to the examiner.

Check the official form's instructions with your provider before the appointment, including any examination or testing requirements. VA does not pay or reimburse the costs of having a private DBQ completed or submitted.

A completed DBQ can help document the medical condition. Whether it also answers a particular service-connection question depends on its content and the other evidence. VA may verify the form or request another examination.

Common questions

Does hip pain automatically mean the same diagnosis for everyone?

No. The questionnaire separates several possible findings and treatment histories. The diagnosis and medical evidence determine which sections apply. Describe the location and effects of your symptoms, and let the clinician distinguish the hip condition from other possible sources of pain or limitation.

What if my hip feels better during the examination?

Explain the usual pattern and any flares, including what brings them on, their duration and the activities affected. The examiner considers that history alongside current findings. Do not try to provoke a flare or stop treatment to make the appointment look more representative.

Should I bring records from an older hip replacement?

Relevant operative and follow-up reports can clarify the procedure, side and subsequent course. Include later revision records if applicable. The examiner then assesses present movement and function rather than assuming the initial operation report describes every current finding.