YOUR CONDITION, EXPLAINED
Muscle Group IV - Shoulder Stabilizer Muscles (Supraspinatus, Subscapularis) VA disability rating & claim guide
The VA rates Muscle Group IV - Shoulder Stabilizer Muscles (Supraspinatus, Subscapularis) under diagnostic code 5304, in 38 CFR § 4.73 (muscle injuries), and the schedule provides four evaluation levels for it: 30%, 20%, 10% and 0%.
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A CLEARER PATH FORWARD
Make sense of your next step.
01Understand the rating02Know what to gather03Plan your preparationTHE ESSENTIALS
How the VA rates Muscle Group IV - Shoulder Stabilizer Muscles (Supraspinatus, Subscapularis)
Injury to the muscles that hold the head of the upper arm bone in the shoulder socket and rotate the arm — the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis.
Under 38 CFR 4.73, DC 5304 rates injury of Muscle Group IV: the intrinsic muscles of the shoulder girdle, which the schedule lists as the supraspinatus, the infraspinatus and teres minor, the subscapularis and the coracobrachialis. Their stated function is stabilization of the shoulder against injury in strong movements, holding the head of the humerus in its socket, abduction, and outward and inward rotation of the arm. The code grades the injury as slight, moderate, moderately severe or severe, in two columns for the dominant (major) and non-dominant (minor) extremity. Severe is 30 percent major and 20 percent minor. Moderately severe is 20 percent in both columns. Moderate is 10 percent in both, and slight is 0 percent in both. The highest evaluation DC 5304 provides is 30 percent, and only for the dominant extremity — Group IV sits lower than Groups I, II and III, which reach 40. Note what this code is for: § 4.73 is the schedule of ratings for MUSCLE INJURIES, and the four muscles Group IV names are the rotator cuff plus the coracobrachialis. Where a shoulder disability is evaluated instead on limitation of arm motion — which is how most rotator cuff tears are rated — the applicable code is DC 5201 in § 4.71a, not DC 5304, and the percentages are different.
- Diagnostic code
- 5304
- Rating schedule
- 38 CFR § 4.73
- Schedule levels
- 30%, 20%, 10% and 0%
How does the VA choose a rating level?
Which level applies is set by the criteria the evidence meets, not by the diagnosis. Where there is a question as to which of two evaluations applies, 38 CFR § 4.7 assigns the higher one if the disability picture more nearly approximates the criteria required for that rating.
EXPLORE THE PERCENTAGES
Muscle Group IV - Shoulder Stabilizer Muscles (Supraspinatus, Subscapularis) VA rating criteria (DC 5304)
Choose a percentage to see what that level means. Open the full comparison to read all the criteria in one place.
These are published rating criteria. Selecting a level does not predict your VA decision.
BUILD YOUR EVIDENCE, ONE PIECE AT A TIME
Evidence for your Muscle Group IV - Shoulder Stabilizer Muscles (Supraspinatus, Subscapularis) claim
A long list feels easier when you have a place to start. Use this checklist to see what you have and what still needs gathering.
Check off what you’ve gathered. Progress stays on this page until you leave or refresh.
THE EXAM FORM
Which DBQ is used for Muscle Group IV - Shoulder Stabilizer Muscles (Supraspinatus, Subscapularis)?
VA's page says: “You can use these forms to submit medical evidence from your health care providers.”
Source: VA: Public Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs), read September 18, 2026.
SMALL DETAILS. BETTER PREPARATION.
Preparing your Muscle Group IV - Shoulder Stabilizer Muscles (Supraspinatus, Subscapularis) claim
Start with the practical tips, then explore the common oversights. You don’t need to work through everything at once.
Practical tips for your claim3 tips
- 01
Include physical therapy and strength tests
- 02
Describe impact on work and daily activities
- 03
Provide medical imaging to support diagnosis
C&P exam pitfalls to keep in mind3 tips
- 01
Downplaying weakness during range-of-motion tests
- 02
Inconsistent strength measurement results
- 03
No imaging or clinical confirmation
Common filing mistakes3 tips
- 01
No functional testing included
- 02
Missing physical therapy or rehab documentation
- 03
Vague symptom descriptions
When symptoms may first appear2 tips
- 01
Often develops during or after heavy physical work or trauma
- 02
May worsen with age and repetitive stress
YOUR SERVICE STORY
Military jobs associated with Muscle Group IV - Shoulder Stabilizer Muscles (Supraspinatus, Subscapularis)
THE BROADER PICTURE
Muscle Group IV - Shoulder Stabilizer Muscles (Supraspinatus, Subscapularis) by the numbers
- Approval outlook
- Moderate – depends on severity and functional loss.
- Veterans service-connected
- ~12,700 veterans
- Typical rating awarded
- ~20%
Vetrify editorial estimates informed by VA published claims data (VBA Annual Benefits Report) and the VA rating schedule, not official VA statistics.
LET’S CLEAR A FEW THINGS UP
Common questions about Muscle Group IV - Shoulder Stabilizer Muscles (Supraspinatus, Subscapularis)
Is Muscle Group IV - Shoulder Stabilizer Muscles (Supraspinatus, Subscapularis) a VA-rated disability?
Yes. The VA rates Muscle Group IV - Shoulder Stabilizer Muscles (Supraspinatus, Subscapularis) under VASRD diagnostic code 5304 (Muscle Injuries). Injury to the muscles that hold the head of the upper arm bone in the shoulder socket and rotate the arm — the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis.
What VA disability rating can I get for Muscle Group IV - Shoulder Stabilizer Muscles (Supraspinatus, Subscapularis)?
Possible VA ratings for Muscle Group IV - Shoulder Stabilizer Muscles (Supraspinatus, Subscapularis) are 30%, 20%, 10%, 0%. Examples: 30%: Severe disability of Muscle Group IV in the dominant (major) upper extremity; 20%: Severe disability of Muscle Group IV in the non-dominant (minor) upper extremity; or moderately severe disability in either the dominant (major) or the non-dominant (minor) extremity; 10%: Moderate disability of Muscle Group IV in either the dominant (major) or the non-dominant (minor) upper extremity.
What's the typical VA rating awarded for Muscle Group IV - Shoulder Stabilizer Muscles (Supraspinatus, Subscapularis)?
Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Muscle Group IV - Shoulder Stabilizer Muscles (Supraspinatus, Subscapularis) at around 20%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 12,700 veterans are service-connected for Muscle Group IV - Shoulder Stabilizer Muscles (Supraspinatus, Subscapularis). Estimated approval outlook: Moderate – depends on severity and functional loss.
What evidence helps prove Muscle Group IV - Shoulder Stabilizer Muscles (Supraspinatus, Subscapularis) for VA disability?
Strong evidence for a Muscle Group IV - Shoulder Stabilizer Muscles (Supraspinatus, Subscapularis) claim includes: MRI showing muscle atrophy or damage; Range-of-motion and strength testing; Physical therapy records; Personal statement on daily limitations.
Which DBQ is used for Muscle Group IV - Shoulder Stabilizer Muscles (Supraspinatus, Subscapularis)?
VA's Muscle Injuries Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) is on its public list of DBQs. VA's page says: "You can use these forms to submit medical evidence from your health care providers."
What mistakes should veterans avoid when claiming Muscle Group IV - Shoulder Stabilizer Muscles (Supraspinatus, Subscapularis)?
Common pitfalls when filing for Muscle Group IV - Shoulder Stabilizer Muscles (Supraspinatus, Subscapularis): No functional testing included; Missing physical therapy or rehab documentation; Vague symptom descriptions.
What conditions can be secondary to Muscle Group IV - Shoulder Stabilizer Muscles (Supraspinatus, Subscapularis)?
Conditions that can be service-connected as secondary to Muscle Group IV - Shoulder Stabilizer Muscles (Supraspinatus, Subscapularis), when a medical opinion links them, include: Shoulder Tendonitis. A secondary condition gets its own rating, which VA combines with the veteran's other ratings under 38 CFR 4.25.
Official sources
- 38 CFR § 4.73, Schedule of ratings, muscle injuries (Diagnostic Code 5304)
- 38 CFR § 4.7, higher of two evaluations
Criteria in quotation marks are the regulation’s own words; everything else on this page is Vetrify’s summary of it. The eCFR text is authoritative. See how Vetrify derives its numbers.
How these figures are checked: our methodology and the open dataset.
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