EDUCATIONAL TOOL ONLY. Not legal or medical advice. Not affiliated with the VA.
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Calf Strain (Chronic)
✓ VERIFIED AGAINST 38 C.F.R.§ 4.73 (Muscle injuries) · reviewed 2026-05-27 · ClaimRecon Editorial Team
Calf Strain (Chronic) is rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs under DC 5311 of 38 CFR § 4.73, DC 5311 across 4 severity tiers (30% / 20% / 10% / 0%). Service connection requires (1) a current diagnosis, (2) an in-service event, injury, or exposure, and (3) a medical nexus opinion linking the two under 38 C.F.R. § 3.303.
OVERVIEW
Chronic strain or recurrent tears of the gastrocnemius or soleus muscles causing posterior calf pain and reduced push-off strength
RATING CRITERIA (4 LEVELS)
30%
Severe muscle disability (per § 4.56(d)(4)): through-and-through or deep penetrating wound by small high-velocity missile or large low-velocity missile, with extensive debridement, prolonged infection, or sloughing of soft parts. Objective findings: ragged / depressed / adherent scars indicating wide damage to muscle groups in the missile track; loss of deep fascia, muscle substance, or normal firm resistance compared to sound side; palpable evidence of loss of deep fascia / muscle substance / weakened contraction.
20%
Moderately Severe muscle disability (per § 4.56(d)(3)): through-and-through or deep penetrating wound by small high-velocity missile, or large low-velocity missile, with debridement; prolonged infection; or sloughing of soft parts; with intermuscular scarring. Objective: indications on palpation of moderate loss of deep fascia, muscle substance, or normal firm resistance of muscles compared with sound side; tests of strength and endurance compared with sound side demonstrate positive evidence of impairment.
10%
Moderate muscle disability (per § 4.56(d)(2)): through-and-through or deep penetrating wound of short track from a single bullet, small shell, or shrapnel fragment, without explosive effect of high-velocity missile, residuals of debridement, or prolonged infection. Objective: entrance and (if present) exit scars, small or linear, indicating short track of missile through muscle tissue; some loss of deep fascia or muscle substance; some impairment of muscle tonus and loss of power or lowered threshold of fatigue when compared to the sound side.
0%
Slight muscle disability (per § 4.56(d)(1)): simple wound of muscle without debridement or infection. Objective: minimal scar; no evidence of fascial defect, atrophy, or impaired tonus; no impairment of function or metallic fragments retained in muscle tissue.
KEY EVIDENCE TO GATHER
-Service treatment records showing injury or complaints
-Imaging (X-ray, MRI, CT)
-Range of motion measurements
-Flare-up documentation per Sharp v. Shulkin
-Buddy statements describing limitations
-Prescription history
-Physical therapy records
-Employment impact documentation
C&P EXAM TIPS (6)
1.Do NOT stretch, warm up, or take pain medication before your exam. The VA needs your baseline limitation.
2.Report your WORST day. DeLuca v. Brown requires documentation of functional loss during flare-ups.
3.Tell the examiner about flare-ups: frequency, duration, estimated ROM loss. Sharp v. Shulkin (2017) requires estimates.
4.Request active, passive, weight-bearing, and non-weight-bearing ROM testing per Correia v. McDonald (2016).
5.If you use assistive devices (brace, cane), bring them.
6.Describe daily activity impact: work, sleep, household tasks.
SOURCES & EDITORIAL
Rating criteria text quoted verbatim from 38 C.F.R. § 4.73 (Muscle injuries). Source verified 2026-05-27 by ClaimRecon Editorial Team during a regulation-text comparison against the Cornell Law CFR mirror; eCFR.gov is the authoritative government source.
EDUCATIONAL TOOL ONLY. NOT LEGAL OR MEDICAL ADVICE.
NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
CLAIM RECON 2026