Muscle Injuries§ 4.73Updated
Rating criteria

VA Diagnostic Code 5319Group XIX. Function: Support and compression of abdominal wall and lower thorax; flexion and lateral motions of spine; synergists in strong downward movements of arm (1). Muscles of the abdominal wall: (1) Rectus abdominis; (2) external oblique; (3) internal oblique; (4) transversalis; (5) quadratus lumborum

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

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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. 30%

    Moderately Severe

  3. 10%

    Moderate

  4. 0%

    Slight

VA Disability Rating: Muscle Group XIX Injuries (Diagnostic Code 5319)

Understanding Muscle Group XIX

Muscle Group XIX covers the muscles of the abdominal wall and lower thorax. Under 38 CFR § 4.73, this group is responsible for several important functions:

  • Support and compression of the abdominal wall and lower thorax
  • Flexion and lateral motions of the spine
  • Acting as synergists in strong downward movements of the arm

The muscles included in this group are:

  1. Rectus abdominis
  2. External oblique
  3. Internal oblique
  4. Transversalis
  5. Quadratus lumborum

Injuries to these muscles fall within the VA's Muscle Injuries body system and are evaluated using Diagnostic Code 5319.

Available Rating Levels

The VA assigns a disability rating for Muscle Group XIX injuries based on the severity of the muscle disability. The available rating levels are:

RatingSeverity Level
50%Severe
30%Moderately Severe
10%Moderate
0%Slight

What the VA Looks For

When rating an injury under Diagnostic Code 5319, the VA classifies the muscle disability according to its severity — Slight, Moderate, Moderately Severe, or Severe. The classification the VA assigns determines the corresponding disability percentage shown in the table above.

Because this evaluation centers on the degree of muscle injury affecting the abdominal wall and lower thorax, documentation reflecting the nature and severity of the muscle disability is relevant to how the claim is rated.

This information is drawn from the VA rating schedule under 38 CFR § 4.73 for Muscle Group XIX (Diagnostic Code 5319). Individual evaluations depend on the specific facts of each case.

These criteria are a rendering of § 4.73, diagnostic code 5319. The official version is the one that governs your rating.

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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 5319 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.

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