Muscle Injuries§ 4.73Updated
Rating criteria

VA Diagnostic Code 5322Group XXII. Function: Rotary and forward movements of the head; respiration; deglutition. Muscles of the front of the neck: (Lateral, supra-, and infrahyoid group.) (1) Trapezius I (clavicular insertion); (2) sternocleidomastoid; (3) the âhyoidâ muscles; (4) sternothyroid; (5) digastric

Rated from 0% to 30% under § 4.73. Here is what the VA requires at each level.

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What each rating requires

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  1. 30%

    Severe

  2. 20%

    Moderately Severe

  3. 10%

    Moderate

  4. 0%

    Slight

VA Disability Rating: Muscle Group XXII (Diagnostic Code 5322)

Understanding Muscle Group XXII Injuries

Muscle Group XXII covers the muscles at the front of the neck. According to the VA rating schedule, this group governs rotary and forward movements of the head, respiration (breathing), and deglutition (swallowing).

The muscles in this group include:

  • Trapezius I (clavicular insertion)
  • Sternocleidomastoid
  • The "hyoid" muscles (lateral, supra-, and infrahyoid group)
  • Sternothyroid
  • Digastric

Injuries to these muscles are evaluated under § 4.73 as part of the Muscle Injuries body system.

Available Rating Levels

The VA assigns a disability rating for this condition based on the severity of the muscle injury. The rating schedule provides the following levels:

RatingSeverity Level
30%Severe
20%Moderately Severe
10%Moderate
0%Slight

What the VA Looks For

When rating an injury under Diagnostic Code 5322, the VA classifies the muscle injury according to its severity — ranging from Slight (0%) through Moderate (10%), Moderately Severe (20%), and Severe (30%).

Because these muscles support head movement, breathing, and swallowing, the evaluation focuses on how the injury affects the function of the muscles in the front of the neck.

This information is drawn from the VA rating schedule under 38 CFR § 4.73, Diagnostic Code 5322. Individual evaluations depend on the specific facts of each case.

These criteria are a rendering of § 4.73, diagnostic code 5322. 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 5322 and attach the evidence for the level you are asking for. Other Muscle Injuries codes may cover your secondary conditions.

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