YOUR CONDITION, EXPLAINED
Muscle Hernia VA disability rating & claim guide
The VA rates Muscle Hernia under diagnostic code 5326, in 38 CFR § 4.73 (muscle injuries), and the schedule provides a single evaluation under it: 10%.
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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 Hernia
A muscle hernia is a bulge of muscle tissue pushing through a tear or weak spot in the fascia that sheathes the muscle, usually visible or palpable at the site and most often following a specific strain, trauma or surgery.
DC 5326 is a single-level code. Its entire entry in § 4.73 reads "Muscle hernia, extensive. Without other injury to the muscle — 10", so 10 percent is the only evaluation the schedule provides, and it turns on two things: that the hernia is extensive, and that the muscle is otherwise uninjured. Pain is not a criterion. Where there is other injury to the muscle, the claim is evaluated on that injury instead, under the muscle-group codes DC 5301-5323 — and only those codes use the slight / moderate / moderately severe / severe framework of 38 CFR 4.56, which is why no graduated muscle-hernia ladder exists (§ 4.73, Note (2)). A muscle injury evaluation "will not be combined with a peripheral nerve paralysis rating of the same body part, unless the injuries affect entirely different functions" (38 CFR 4.55(a)).
- Diagnostic code
- 5326
- Rating schedule
- 38 CFR § 4.73
- Schedule levels
- 10%
How does the VA choose a rating level?
There is no higher or lower step inside this code: a rating decision either finds its criteria met or it does not. Where they are not met, 38 CFR § 4.31 assigns a 0% evaluation: service connection granted, at a level that does not pay.
EXPLORE THE PERCENTAGES
Muscle Hernia VA rating criteria (DC 5326)
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 Hernia 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 Hernia?
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 Hernia 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
Have the hernia described as extensive, in those terms, and its size and extent recorded. "Extensive" is one of only two criteria in the code.
- 02
Use dynamic imaging taken during muscle contraction or exertion when possible, since a muscle hernia can be far less visible at rest.
- 03
If the same muscle carries another injury, claim that injury under its muscle-group code (DC 5301-5323) — DC 5326 applies only where the muscle is otherwise uninjured, and the muscle-group codes reach well above 10 percent.
C&P exam pitfalls to keep in mind4 tips
- 01
The condition being misclassified as a general soft-tissue strain rather than a documented muscle hernia.
- 02
No hernia visible during the specific exam, even if it's intermittently present.
- 03
The condition being overlooked if it's not actively bulging during the specific exam.
- 04
Not differentiating the hernia from a general soft-tissue mass.
Common filing mistakes3 tips
- 01
Building the claim around pain or weakness, which DC 5326 does not make a criterion.
- 02
A vague injury history that does not establish when and how the hernia occurred.
- 03
No imaging confirmation to support the diagnosis.
When symptoms may first appear2 tips
- 01
Muscle hernias typically follow trauma, heavy lifting, or a surgical procedure that weakened the surrounding fascia.
- 02
Muscle hernias under this code are typically post-exertional or trauma-related, developing after a specific strain or injury weakened the surrounding fascia.
YOUR SERVICE STORY
Military jobs associated with Muscle Hernia
More by branch: Marines
THE BROADER PICTURE
Muscle Hernia by the numbers
- Approval outlook
- Low unless well-documented
- Veterans service-connected
- ~3,800 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 Hernia
Is Muscle Hernia a VA-rated disability?
Yes. The VA rates Muscle Hernia under VASRD diagnostic code 5326 (Muscle Injuries). A muscle hernia is a bulge of muscle tissue pushing through a tear or weak spot in the fascia that sheathes the muscle, usually visible or palpable at the site and most often following a specific strain, trauma or surgery.
What VA disability rating can I get for Muscle Hernia?
Possible VA ratings for Muscle Hernia are 10%, 0%. The 0% level comes from 38 CFR 4.31, which assigns it wherever no compensable level is met. Examples: 10%: Muscle hernia, extensive. Without other injury to the muscle; 0%: [38 CFR 4.31] Where the requirements for the compensable evaluation are not met — the hernia is not extensive, or there is other injury to the muscle — a zero percent evaluation is assigned.
What's the typical VA rating awarded for Muscle Hernia?
Vetrify estimates the typical rating awarded for Muscle Hernia at around 10%, based on VA claims data and the rating schedule. An estimated 3,800 veterans are service-connected for Muscle Hernia. Estimated approval outlook: Low unless well-documented.
What evidence helps prove Muscle Hernia for VA disability?
Strong evidence for a Muscle Hernia claim includes: Imaging (ultrasound or MRI) confirming the herniation; An orthopedic or surgical consult evaluating the hernia's severity; Medical records documenting the original injury; MRI imaging confirming the herniation.
Which DBQ is used for Muscle Hernia?
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 Hernia?
Common pitfalls when filing for Muscle Hernia: Building the claim around pain or weakness, which DC 5326 does not make a criterion; A vague injury history that does not establish when and how the hernia occurred; No imaging confirmation to support the diagnosis.
Official sources
- 38 CFR § 4.73, Schedule of ratings, muscle injuries (Diagnostic Code 5326)
- 38 CFR § 4.31, zero percent 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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