Body system: Muscle InjuriesRegulation: 38 CFR § 4.73
This diagnostic code covers injuries to the muscles that help you rotate your forearm palm-up (supination) and bend your elbow - specifically the biceps, brachialis, and brachioradialis muscles. The VA rates these muscle injuries based on how severe your symptoms are, from 0% for slight problems up to 30% for severe issues. The ratings reflect how much the muscle damage affects your ability to use your arm for daily activities and work.
Rating levels
- 40% — You have severe damage to the muscles that bend your elbow and rotate your forearm (the biceps, brachialis, and brachioradialis muscles). This means you have significant difficulty or inability to bend your elbow fully or turn your palm up and down, which seriously affects your ability to lift, carry, or perform daily tasks that require arm movement.
- 30% — You have severe problems with the muscles that bend your elbow and rotate your forearm. This means significant weakness or damage to your biceps, brachialis (deep muscle under the biceps), or brachioradialis (forearm muscle) that seriously limits your ability to bend your elbow or turn your palm up and down.
- 30% — Your elbow flexor muscles (the muscles that bend your elbow - mainly your biceps, brachialis, and brachioradialis) have moderately severe damage or weakness. This means you have significant difficulty bending your elbow and rotating your forearm, which noticeably limits your ability to perform daily activities like lifting objects, carrying items, or bringing your hand to your mouth.
- 20% — A moderately severe injury to the muscles that bend your elbow and rotate your forearm. This affects the biceps (the muscle in the front of your upper arm), the brachialis (a muscle underneath the biceps), and the brachioradialis (a muscle that runs from your upper arm to your wrist), causing significant but not complete loss of your ability to bend your elbow and turn your palm up and down.
- 10% — You have moderate problems with the muscles that bend your elbow and rotate your forearm. This means you have noticeable weakness or pain when lifting objects, turning your palm up and down (like turning a doorknob), or bending your elbow, but you can still perform these movements with some difficulty.
- 10% — You have moderate problems with the muscles that bend your elbow and rotate your forearm. This means you have noticeable weakness or pain when lifting objects, turning your palm up and down (like turning a doorknob), or bending your elbow, but you can still perform these movements with some difficulty.
- 0% — You have slight problems with the muscles that bend your elbow and rotate your forearm. This includes minor weakness or pain in your biceps (the muscle on the front of your upper arm), brachialis (a deep muscle under the biceps), or brachioradialis (a muscle that runs from your upper arm to your wrist), but these issues don't significantly limit your ability to use your arm for daily activities.
- 0% — You have slight problems with the muscles that bend your elbow and rotate your forearm. This includes minor weakness or pain in your biceps (the muscle on the front of your upper arm), brachialis (a deep muscle under the biceps), or brachioradialis (a muscle that runs from your upper arm to your wrist), but these issues don't significantly limit your ability to use your arm for daily activities.