EDUCATIONAL TOOL ONLY. Not legal or medical advice. Not affiliated with the VA.
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Hamstring Injury (Chronic)
✓ VERIFIED AGAINST 38 C.F.R.§ 4.73 (Muscle injuries) · reviewed 2026-05-27 · ClaimRecon Editorial Team
Hamstring Injury (Chronic) is rated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs under DC 5313 of 38 CFR § 4.73, DC 5313 across 4 severity tiers (40% / 30% / 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 or recurrent tears of the hamstring muscles causing posterior thigh pain, weakness, and limited hip extension and knee flexion
RATING CRITERIA (4 LEVELS)
40%
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; loss of deep fascia, muscle substance, or normal firm resistance; palpable evidence of weakened contraction.
30%
Moderately Severe muscle disability (per § 4.56(d)(3)): through-and-through or deep penetrating wound by small high-velocity or large low-velocity missile, with debridement, prolonged infection, or sloughing of soft parts, with intermuscular scarring. Objective: moderate loss of deep fascia / muscle substance / normal firm resistance; tests of strength and endurance demonstrate positive 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 high-velocity explosive effect, debridement residuals, or prolonged infection. Objective: short-track entrance/exit scars; some loss of deep fascia or muscle substance; impairment of muscle tonus and lowered threshold of fatigue.
0%
Slight muscle disability (per § 4.56(d)(1)): simple wound without debridement or infection; minimal scar; no fascial defect, atrophy, or impaired tonus; no functional impairment; no retained metallic fragments.
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