{"data":{"id":"us/38-cfr-4.73","jurisdiction":"us","citation":"38 CFR 4.73","heading":"Schedule of ratings—muscle injuries.","body":"Note (1):\nWhen evaluating any claim involving muscle injuries resulting in loss of use of any extremity or loss of use of both buttocks (diagnostic code 5317, Muscle Group XVII), refer to § 3.350 of this chapter to determine whether the veteran may be entitled to special monthly compensation.\nNote (2):\nRatings of slight, moderate, moderately severe, or severe for diagnostic codes 5301 through 5323 will be determined based upon the criteria contained in § 4.56.\nThe Shoulder Girdle and Arm\nRating\nDominant Nondominant\n5301 Group I. Function: Upward rotation of scapula; elevation of arm above shoulder level. Extrinsic muscles of shoulder girdle: (1) Trapezius; (2) levator scapulae; (3) serratus magnus\nSevere 40 30\nModerately Severe 30 20\nModerate 10 10\nSlight 0 0\n5302 Group II. Function: Depression of arm from vertical overhead to hanging at side (1, 2); downward rotation of scapula (3, 4); 1 and 2 act with Group III in forward and backward swing of arm. Extrinsic muscles of shoulder girdle: (1) Pectoralis major II (costosternal); (2) latissimus dorsi and teres major (teres major, although technically an intrinsic muscle, is included with latissimus dorsi); (3) pectoralis minor; (4) rhomboid\nSevere 40 30\nModerately Severe 30 20\nModerate 20 20\nSlight 0 0\n5303 Group III. Function: Elevation and abduction of arm to level of shoulder; act with 1 and 2 of Group II in forward and backward swing of arm. Intrinsic muscles of shoulder girdle: (1) Pectoralis major I (clavicular); (2) deltoid\nSevere 40 30\nModerately Severe 30 20\nModerate 20 20\nSlight 0 0\n5304 Group IV. Function: Stabilization of shoulder against injury in strong movements, holding head of humerus in socket; abduction; outward rotation and inward rotation of arm. Intrinsic muscles of shoulder girdle: (1) Supraspinatus; (2) infraspinatus and teres minor; (3) subscapularis; (4) coracobrachialis\nSevere 30 20\nModerately Severe 20 20\nModerate 10 10\nSlight 0 0\n5305 Group V. Function: Elbow supination (1) (long head of biceps is stabilizer of shoulder joint); flexion of elbow (1, 2, 3). Flexor muscles of elbow: (1) Biceps; (2) brachialis; (3) brachioradialis\nSevere 40 30\nModerately Severe 30 20\nModerate 10 10\nSlight 0 0\n5306 Group VI. Function: Extension of elbow (long head of triceps is stabilizer of shoulder joint). Extensor muscles of the elbow: (1) Triceps; (2) anconeus.\nSevere 40 30\nModerately Severe 30 20\nModerate 10 10\nSlight 0 0\nThe Forearm and Hand\nRating\nDominant Nondominant\n5307 Group VII. Function: Flexion of wrist and fingers. Muscles arising from internal condyle of humerus: Flexors of the carpus and long flexors of fingers and thumb; pronator\nSevere 40 30\nModerately Severe 30 20\nModerate 10 10\nSlight 0 0\n5308 Group VIII. Function: Extension of wrist, fingers, and thumb; abduction of thumb. Muscles arising mainly from external condyle of humerus: Extensors of carpus, fingers, and thumb; supinator\nSevere 30 20\nModerately Severe 20 20\nModerate 10 10\nSlight 0 0\n5309 Group IX. Function: The forearm muscles act in strong grasping movements and are supplemented by the intrinsic muscles in delicate manipulative movements. Intrinsic muscles of hand: Thenar eminence; short flexor, opponens, abductor and adductor of thumb; hypothenar eminence; short flexor, opponens and abductor of little finger; 4 lumbricales; 4 dorsal and 3 palmar interossei\nNote: The hand is so compact a structure that isolated muscle injuries are rare, being nearly always complicated with injuries of bones, joints, tendons, etc. Rate on limitation of motion, minimum 10 percent.\nThe Foot and Leg\nRating\n5310 Group X. Function: Movements of forefoot and toes; propulsion thrust in walking. Intrinsic muscles of the foot: Plantar: (1) Flexor digitorum brevis; (2) abductor hallucis; (3) abductor digiti minimi; (4) quadratus plantae; (5) lumbricales; (6) flexor hallucis brevis; (7) adductor hallucis; (8) flexor digiti minimi brevis; (9) dorsal and plantar interossei. Other important plantar structures: Plantar aponeurosis, long plantar and calcaneonavicular ligament, tendons of posterior tibial, peroneus longus, and long flexors of great and little toes\nSevere 30\nModerately Severe 20\nModerate 10\nSlight 0\nDorsal: (1) Extensor hallucis brevis; (2) extensor digitorum brevis. Other important dorsal structures: cruciate, crural, deltoid, and other ligaments; tendons of long extensors of toes and peronei muscles\nSevere 20\nModerately Severe 10\nModerate 10\nSlight 0\nNote: Minimum rating for through-and-through wounds of the foot—10.\n5311 Group XI. Function: Propulsion, plantar flexion of foot (1); stabilization of arch (2, 3); flexion of toes (4, 5); Flexion of knee (6). Posterior and lateral crural muscles, and muscles of the calf: (1) Triceps surae (gastrocnemius and soleus); (2) tibialis posterior; (3) peroneus longus; (4) peroneus brevis; (5) flexor hallucis longus; (6) flexor digitorum longus; (7) popliteus; (8) plantaris\nSevere 30\nModerately Severe 20\nModerate 10\nSlight 0\n5312 Group XII. Function: Dorsiflexion (1); extension of toes (2); stabilization of arch (3). Anterior muscles of the leg: (1) Tibialis anterior; (2) extensor digitorum longus; (3) extensor hallucis longus; (4) peroneus tertius\nSevere 30\nModerately Severe 20\nModerate 10\nSlight 0\nThe Pelvic Girdle and Thigh\nRating\n5313 Group XIII. Function: Extension of hip and flexion of knee; outward and inward rotation of flexed knee; acting with rectus femoris and sartorius (see XIV, 1, 2) synchronizing simultaneous flexion of hip and knee and extension of hip and knee by belt-over-pulley action at knee joint. Posterior thigh group, Hamstring complex of 2-joint muscles: (1) Biceps femoris; (2) semimembranosus; (3) semitendinosus\nSevere 40\nModerately Severe 30\nModerate 10\nSlight 0\n5314 Group XIV. Function: Extension of knee (2, 3, 4, 5); simultaneous flexion of hip and flexion of knee (1); tension of fascia lata and iliotibial (Maissiat's) band, acting with XVII (1) in postural support of body (6); acting with hamstrings in synchronizing hip and knee (1, 2). Anterior thigh group: (1) Sartorius; (2) rectus femoris; (3) vastus externus; (4) vastus intermedius; (5) vastus internus; (6) tensor vaginae femoris\nSevere 40\nModerately Severe 30\nModerate 10\nSlight 0\n5315 Group XV. Function: Adduction of hip (1, 2, 3, 4); flexion of hip (1, 2); flexion of knee (4). Mesial thigh group: (1) Adductor longus; (2) adductor brevis; (3) adductor magnus; (4) gracilis\nSevere 30\nModerately Severe 20\nModerate 10\nSlight 0\n5316 Group XVI. Function: Flexion of hip (1, 2, 3). Pelvic girdle group 1: (1) Psoas; (2) iliacus; (3) pectineus\nSevere 40\nModerately Severe 30\nModerate 10\nSlight 0\n5317 Group XVII. Function: Extension of hip (1); abduction of thigh; elevation of opposite side of pelvis (2, 3); tension of fascia lata and iliotibial (Maissiat's) band, acting with XIV (6) in postural support of body steadying pelvis upon head of femur and condyles of femur on tibia (1). Pelvic girdle group 2: (1) Gluteus maximus; (2) gluteus medius; (3) gluteus minimus\nSevere *50\nModerately Severe 40\nModerate 20\nSlight 0\n5318 Group XVIII. Function: Outward rotation of thigh and stabilization of hip joint. Pelvic girdle group 3: (1) Pyriformis; (2) gemellus (superior or inferior); (3) obturator (external or internal); (4) quadratus femoris\nSevere 30\nModerately Severe 20\nModerate 10\nSlight 0\n* If bilateral, see § 3.350(a)(3) of this chapter to determine whether the veteran may be entitled to special monthly compensation.\nThe Torso and Neck\nRating\n5319 Group XIX. Function: Support and compression of abdominal wall and lower thorax; flexion and lateral motions of spine; synergists in strong downward movements of arm (1). Muscles of the abdominal wall: (1) Rectus abdominis; (2) external oblique; (3) internal oblique; (4) transversalis; (5) quadratus lumborum\nSevere 50\nModerately Severe 30\nModerate 10\nSlight 0\n5320 Group XX. Function: Postural support of body; extension and lateral movements of spine. Spinal muscles: Sacrospinalis (erector spinae and its prolongations in thoracic and cervical regions)\nCervical and thoracic region:\nSevere 40\nModerately Severe 20\nModerate 10\nSlight 0\nLumbar region:\nSevere 60\nModerately Severe 40\nModerate 20\nSlight 0\n5321 Group XXI. Function: Respiration. Muscles of respiration: Thoracic muscle group\nSevere or Moderately Severe 20\nModerate 10\nSlight 0\n5322 Group XXII. Function: Rotary and forward movements of the head; respiration; deglutition. Muscles of the front of the neck: (Lateral, supra-, and infrahyoid group.) (1) Trapezius I (clavicular insertion); (2) sternocleidomastoid; (3) the “hyoid” muscles; (4) sternothyroid; (5) digastric\nSevere 30\nModerately Severe 20\nModerate 10\nSlight 0\n5323 Group XXIII. Function: Movements of the head; fixation of shoulder movements. Muscles of the side and back of the neck: Suboccipital; lateral vertebral and anterior vertebral muscles\nSevere 30\nModerately Severe 20\nModerate 10\nSlight 0\nMiscellaneous\nRating\n5324 Diaphragm, rupture of, with herniation. Rate under diagnostic code 7346\n5325 Muscle injury, facial muscles. Evaluate functional impairment as seventh (facial) cranial nerve neuropathy (diagnostic code 8207), disfiguring scar (diagnostic code 7800), etc. Minimum, if interfering to any extent with mastication—10\n5326 Muscle hernia, extensive. Without other injury to the muscle—10\n5327 Muscle, neoplasm of, malignant (excluding soft tissue sarcoma)—100\nNote: A rating of 100 percent shall continue beyond the cessation of any surgery, radiation treatment, antineoplastic chemotherapy or other therapeutic procedures. Six months after discontinuance of such treatment, the appropriate disability rating shall be determined by mandatory VA examination. Any change in evaluation based upon that or any subsequent examination shall be subject to the provisions of § 3.105(e) of this chapter. If there has been no local recurrence or metastasis, rate on residual impairment of function.\n5328 Muscle, neoplasm of, benign, postoperative. Rate on impairment of function, i.e., limitation of motion, or scars, diagnostic code 7805, etc\n5329 Sarcoma, soft tissue (of muscle, fat, or fibrous connective tissue)—100\nNote: A rating of 100 percent shall continue beyond the cessation of any surgery, radiation treatment, antineoplastic chemotherapy or other therapeutic procedures. Six months after discontinuance of such treatment, the appropriate disability rating shall be determined by mandatory VA examination. Any change in evaluation based upon that or any subsequent examination shall be subject to the provisions of § 3.105(e) of this chapter. If there has been no local recurrence or metastasis, rate on residual impairment of function.\n5330 Rhabdomyolysis, residuals of:\nRate each affected muscle group separately and combine in accordance with § 4.25\nNote: Separately evaluate any chronic renal complications within the appropriate body system.\n5331 Compartment syndrome:\nRate each affected muscle group separately and combine in accordance with § 4.25","path":["Title 38—Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief","CHAPTER I—DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS","PART 4—SCHEDULE FOR RATING DISABILITIES","Subpart B—Disability Ratings"],"source_url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2026-08-25/title-38.xml","current_through":"2026-08-25","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T02:25:50Z","sha256":"0a3319d2510d6dc5ad2eab19729e5f5105dd90a955197c396587db04eb8a0c53","source_id":"us-cfr","stale":true,"prev":"us/38-cfr-4.72","next":"us/38-cfr-4.75"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}