YOUR CONDITION, EXPLAINED
Muscle Group XI - Calf and Posterior Leg Muscles (Plantar Flexion) VA disability rating & claim guide
The VA rates Muscle Group XI - Calf and Posterior Leg Muscles (Plantar Flexion) under diagnostic code 5311, 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 XI - Calf and Posterior Leg Muscles (Plantar Flexion)
Injury to the calf and back-of-the-leg muscles that point the foot down, hold up the arch, curl the toes and help bend the knee.
Under 38 CFR 4.73, DC 5311 rates injury of Muscle Group XI: the posterior and lateral crural muscles and the muscles of the calf, which the schedule lists as the triceps surae (gastrocnemius and soleus), tibialis posterior, peroneus longus, peroneus brevis, flexor hallucis longus, flexor digitorum longus, popliteus and plantaris. Their stated functions are propulsion and plantar flexion of the foot, stabilization of the arch, flexion of the toes and flexion of the knee. The code grades the injury as severe (30 percent), moderately severe (20 percent), moderate (10 percent) or slight (0 percent). It prints a single column, so the evaluation does not change with which leg is injured, and 30 percent is the highest evaluation the code provides.
- Diagnostic code
- 5311
- 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 XI - Calf and Posterior Leg Muscles (Plantar Flexion) VA rating criteria (DC 5311)
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 XI - Calf and Posterior Leg Muscles (Plantar Flexion) 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 XI - Calf and Posterior Leg Muscles (Plantar Flexion)?
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 XI - Calf and Posterior Leg Muscles (Plantar Flexion) 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 claim2 tips
- 01
Describe walking limitations specifically, since functional impact on gait is central to how this muscle group's severity is graded.
- 02
Include strength loss documented over time, since a single measurement may not capture the condition's typical impact.
C&P exam pitfalls to keep in mind2 tips
- 01
Only reporting pain without documenting actual range-of-motion loss.
- 02
Not specifying the severity level clearly during the exam.
Common filing mistakes2 tips
- 01
Omitting how the condition affects work or daily life.
- 02
Not linking the injury to specific service duties.
When symptoms may first appear1 tips
- 01
Calf and knee flexor muscle injuries commonly follow a specific trauma or develop from long-term wear related to repetitive physical demands.
YOUR SERVICE STORY
Military jobs associated with Muscle Group XI - Calf and Posterior Leg Muscles (Plantar Flexion)
More by branch: Marines
THE BROADER PICTURE
Muscle Group XI - Calf and Posterior Leg Muscles (Plantar Flexion) by the numbers
- Approval outlook
- Moderate when linked to trauma or repetitive use.
- Veterans service-connected
- ~1,900 veterans
- Typical rating awarded
- ~10%
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 XI - Calf and Posterior Leg Muscles (Plantar Flexion)
Is Muscle Group XI - Calf and Posterior Leg Muscles (Plantar Flexion) a VA-rated disability?
Yes. The VA rates Muscle Group XI - Calf and Posterior Leg Muscles (Plantar Flexion) under VASRD diagnostic code 5311 (Muscle Injuries). Injury to the calf and back-of-the-leg muscles that point the foot down, hold up the arch, curl the toes and help bend the knee.
What VA disability rating can I get for Muscle Group XI - Calf and Posterior Leg Muscles (Plantar Flexion)?
Possible VA ratings for Muscle Group XI - Calf and Posterior Leg Muscles (Plantar Flexion) are 30%, 20%, 10%, 0%. Examples: 30%: Severe injury of Muscle Group XI; 20%: Moderately severe injury of Muscle Group XI; 10%: Moderate injury of Muscle Group XI.
What's the typical VA rating awarded for Muscle Group XI - Calf and Posterior Leg Muscles (Plantar Flexion)?
Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Muscle Group XI - Calf and Posterior Leg Muscles (Plantar Flexion) at around 10%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 1,900 veterans are service-connected for Muscle Group XI - Calf and Posterior Leg Muscles (Plantar Flexion). Estimated approval outlook: Moderate when linked to trauma or repetitive use.
What evidence helps prove Muscle Group XI - Calf and Posterior Leg Muscles (Plantar Flexion) for VA disability?
Strong evidence for a Muscle Group XI - Calf and Posterior Leg Muscles (Plantar Flexion) claim includes: Physical therapy or orthopedic notes documenting the muscle injury; Gait abnormality reports showing how the injury affects walking.
Which DBQ is used for Muscle Group XI - Calf and Posterior Leg Muscles (Plantar Flexion)?
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 XI - Calf and Posterior Leg Muscles (Plantar Flexion)?
Common pitfalls when filing for Muscle Group XI - Calf and Posterior Leg Muscles (Plantar Flexion): Omitting how the condition affects work or daily life; Not linking the injury to specific service duties.
What conditions can be secondary to Muscle Group XI - Calf and Posterior Leg Muscles (Plantar Flexion)?
Conditions that can be service-connected as secondary to Muscle Group XI - Calf and Posterior Leg Muscles (Plantar Flexion), when a medical opinion links them, include: Achilles Tendonitis; Knee Arthritis. 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 5311)
- 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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