EDUCATIONAL TOOL ONLY. Not legal or medical advice. Not affiliated with the VA.
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Tennis Leg (Medial Gastrocnemius Tear)
✓ VERIFIED AGAINST 38 C.F.R.§ 4.73 (Muscle injuries) · reviewed 2026-05-27 · ClaimRecon Editorial Team
Tennis Leg (Medial Gastrocnemius Tear) 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
Acute tear of the medial gastrocnemius muscle at its musculotendinous junction with the Achilles, causing sudden calf pain and weakness
RATING CRITERIA (4 LEVELS)
30%
Severe (per § 4.56(d)(4)): same Group XI Severe criteria as calf-strain. For tennis leg specifically, this tier is reached only with complete gastrocnemius rupture requiring surgical repair, prolonged immobilization, residual scar adherence, and palpable muscle substance loss.
20%
Moderately Severe (per § 4.56(d)(3)): partial-thickness tear with documented hematoma, requiring brief casting/immobilization or activity restriction beyond standard RICE management; residual scar palpable; lowered threshold of fatigue documented by strength testing.
10%
Moderate (per § 4.56(d)(2)): documented gastrocnemius strain with imaging confirmation, conservative treatment, residual minor functional limitation; tone/power impairment compared to contralateral side.
0%
Slight (per § 4.56(d)(1)): muscle strain healed without residual functional impairment; minimal or no scar; no measurable strength deficit compared to opposite leg.
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