In 2004 the employee has an injury to the knee. There is no loss of motion, no instability, and no thigh atrophy, but the employee must wear a stretch knee brace. What is the standard rating?

• A. 0%
• B. 10%
• C. 15%
• D. 7%

Answer: (B)

In this situation, the key idea is that permanent disability isn’t judged only by measurable deficits like range of motion or muscle atrophy. If the knee injury leaves the joint stable and motion-preserving but requires the use of an assistive device (a knee brace) to function, that ongoing functional limitation is recognized as a standard level of impairment. The need for a stretch knee brace signals a persistent impairment that the medical condition imposes, even though ROM, stability, and thigh mass are normal. The standard rating assigned to this scenario is 10 percent, reflecting a tangible, work-related limitation managed with a device.