Body system: Musculoskeletal SystemRegulation: 38 CFR § 4.71a
This diagnostic code covers situations where you have limited movement in your arm, specifically at the shoulder joint. The VA rates this condition based on how far you can lift your arm forward (flexion) or out to the side (abduction). A 30% rating means you can barely lift your arm - only 25 degrees from your side, while a 20% rating means you can lift your arm to shoulder level but no higher than 90 degrees.
Rating levels
- 40% — You can only lift your arm forward or out to the side a maximum of 25 degrees from your body. This means your arm movement is severely restricted - you can barely raise your arm away from hanging straight down at your side, making it extremely difficult to reach for objects, dress yourself, or perform most daily activities that require arm movement.
- 30% — Your arm can only move forward or lift out to the side a maximum of 25 degrees from your body. This means you have severely limited shoulder movement - you can barely lift your arm away from your side (abduction) or bend it forward at the shoulder (flexion), with normal range being much greater.
- 30% — You can only lift your arm halfway between hanging at your side and reaching shoulder height, whether you're lifting it forward (flexion) or out to the side (abduction). This means your arm movement is limited to just 45 degrees in these directions, which is about half the normal range of motion.
- 20% — You can only lift your arm about halfway up to shoulder level, whether raising it straight out to the side or forward in front of you. Your arm movement is limited to 45 degrees (flexion means bending forward, abduction means moving away from your body), so you cannot reach shoulder height or above.
- 20% — You can only lift your arm up to shoulder height - about 90 degrees - either when raising it forward (flexion) or out to the side (abduction). This means you cannot reach above shoulder level, like reaching up to a high shelf or raising your hand fully overhead.
- 20% — You can only lift your arm up to shoulder height - about 90 degrees - either when raising it forward (flexion) or out to the side (abduction). This means you cannot reach above shoulder level, like reaching up to a high shelf or raising your hand fully overhead.