Muscle Injuries§ 4.73Updated
Rating criteria

VA Diagnostic Code 5317Group 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

Rated from 0% to 50% under § 4.73. Here is what the VA requires at each level.

View official source

Not the right code?

The ladder

What each rating requires

The VA assigns the highest level your evidence actually supports. Read up the stack until your records stop matching.

  1. 50%

    Severe

  2. 40%

    Moderately Severe

  3. 20%

    Moderate

  4. 0%

    Slight

From the schedule

Notes on this code

These notes are part of the regulation. They change how the levels above are applied.

  • * If bilateral, see § 3.350(a)(3) of this chapter to determine whether the veteran may be entitled to special monthly compensation.

Muscle Injuries — Group XVII (Pelvic Girdle Group 2): Diagnostic Code 5317

Understanding Muscle Group XVII

Muscle Group XVII is part of the pelvic girdle and includes three muscles:

  1. Gluteus maximus
  2. Gluteus medius
  3. Gluteus minimus

These muscles support several important functions of the hip, thigh, and pelvis, including:

  • Extension of the hip (gluteus maximus)
  • Abduction of the thigh (gluteus medius and gluteus minimus)
  • Elevation of the opposite side of the pelvis (gluteus medius and gluteus minimus)
  • Tension of the fascia lata and iliotibial (Maissiat's) band, acting together with Muscle Group XIV to provide postural support of the body, steadying the pelvis upon the head of the femur and the condyles of the femur on the tibia (gluteus maximus)

An injury to this muscle group can affect how the hip and pelvis function during standing, walking, and other movements that rely on these supporting muscles.

How the VA Rates This Condition

The VA rates injuries to Muscle Group XVII under 38 CFR § 4.73, using a scale based on the severity of the muscle injury. The available rating levels are:

RatingLevel of Severity
50%Severe
40%Moderately Severe
20%Moderate
0%Slight

What the VA Looks For

When evaluating a Muscle Group XVII injury, the VA assigns a rating based on the severity of the muscle disability, ranging from slight through moderate, moderately severe, and severe.

Important note for bilateral injuries: If the injury affects both sides, the VA refers to § 3.350(a)(3) to determine whether the veteran may be entitled to special monthly compensation.

These criteria are a rendering of § 4.73, diagnostic code 5317. The official version is the one that governs your rating.

View official source
What next

How to claim this

Knowing the criteria is the first half. Getting your file to show them is the second.

  1. Find your level in the stack

    Read each rung against what your medical records already say. The level your records document today is the one the VA can support today.

  2. Name the gap

    Look at the rung above yours and write down exactly what it asks for that your file does not show yet — a diagnosis, a measurement, a prescribed brace, a doctor’s opinion linking it to service.

  3. Claim it by code

    File under diagnostic code 5317 and attach the evidence for the level you are asking for. Other Muscle Injuries codes may cover your secondary conditions.

Find out which rating your evidence supports.

Six reads your records against these exact criteria and tells you what the VA is still missing.

Start for freeAll 31 Muscle Injuries codes →