Body system: Muscle InjuriesRegulation: 38 CFR § 4.73
Diagnostic Code 5319 covers injuries to the muscles of your abdominal wall - essentially the muscle groups that support your core, help you bend and twist your spine, and assist with arm movements. These include your rectus abdominis (the 'six-pack' muscles), obliques (side muscles), and other deep core muscles. The VA rates these injuries from 0% for slight impairment up to 50% for severe muscle damage that significantly limits your ability to function.
Rating levels
- 50% — You have severe damage to the muscles that make up your abdominal wall (belly muscles) and lower back, which significantly limits your ability to bend forward, twist your torso, or move side to side. These muscles normally help support your core, assist with breathing, and help you perform strong pulling or pushing movements with your arms, but the severe injury makes these functions very difficult. Your daily activities like lifting, bending, getting out of bed, or even coughing and sneezing are substantially impaired due to the muscle damage.
- 30% — A moderately severe injury to your abdominal muscles significantly affects your ability to support your core, bend your spine, and use your arms for heavy lifting or pulling motions. You would experience noticeable difficulty with everyday activities like getting out of bed, lifting objects, twisting your torso, or doing physical work that requires core strength. The injury limits your function enough to interfere with work and daily tasks, but you can still perform most activities with some difficulty or pain.
- 10% — You have moderate damage or dysfunction to the muscles in your abdominal wall (belly muscles) and lower back that help support your core, allow you to bend and twist your spine, and assist with strong arm movements. This level of muscle injury causes noticeable limitations in your ability to do physical activities like lifting, bending, or twisting, but doesn't completely prevent you from functioning in daily life or work.
- 0% — A slight injury to your abdominal wall muscles (the muscles in your belly and lower back that help you bend, twist, and support your core) causes minimal problems with your daily activities. You might have minor weakness, occasional discomfort, or slight difficulty with movements like bending forward, twisting your torso, or lifting, but these symptoms don't significantly interfere with your work or normal activities.