Body system: Muscle InjuriesRegulation: 38 CFR § 4.73
This diagnostic code covers injuries to the muscles in the front of your lower leg that help you flex your foot up toward your shin, extend your toes, and keep your foot arch stable. The VA rates these muscle injuries from 0% (slight) to 30% (severe) based on how much function you've lost. Higher ratings mean more significant weakness or loss of movement that affects your ability to walk normally, maintain balance, or perform daily activities.
Rating levels
- 30% — You have severe damage to the muscles in the front of your lower leg that control lifting your foot up toward your shin (dorsiflexion), extending your toes upward, and supporting your foot's arch. This causes significant difficulty walking, frequent tripping or stumbling because you can't lift your foot properly, and major problems with balance and foot stability during daily activities.
- 20% — You have moderately severe damage to the muscles in the front of your lower leg that control lifting your foot up toward your shin (dorsiflexion), straightening your toes, and supporting your arch. This affects four specific muscles: the tibialis anterior (main muscle that lifts your foot), extensor digitorum longus (straightens your smaller toes), extensor hallucis longus (straightens your big toe), and peroneus tertius (helps lift the outer edge of your foot). You would experience significant difficulty walking normally, lifting your foot when stepping, or maintaining proper arch support, but you still have some muscle function remaining.
- 10% — You have moderate problems with the muscles in the front of your lower leg that control lifting your foot up toward your shin (dorsiflexion), extending your toes upward, and supporting your foot's arch. This affects four specific muscles: the tibialis anterior, extensor digitorum longus, extensor hallucis longus, and peroneus tertius, resulting in noticeable difficulty walking, climbing stairs, or maintaining balance, but you can still perform these activities with some effort.
- 0% — A veteran has mild weakness or minor problems with the muscles in the front of their lower leg that control lifting their foot up toward their shin (dorsiflexion), extending their toes upward, and helping support their arch. The muscle damage causes only slight functional limitations that barely interfere with walking, standing, or daily activities involving foot and toe movement.