Education · 38 CFR § 4.71a · Bones, joints, and spine (musculoskeletal system) · not your rating · we do not file
Back or neck strain VA rating (DC 5237)
VA rates back or neck strain under diagnostic code 5237 in 38 CFR § 4.71a. The rule book lists 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, and 100%. Below: each level in plain English, then the exact words.
Rule-book name: Lumbosacral or cervical strain. Last checked against eCFR on 2026-10-10 (eCFR issue 2026-08-27). Official text: 38 CFR § 4.71a on eCFR.
Each rating level in plain English
- 100%: The published words look at: a joint or the spine fixed in place so it does not move.
- 50%: The published words look at: a joint or the spine fixed in place so it does not move.
- 40%: The published words look at: how far you can move the joint or spine; and a joint or the spine fixed in place so it does not move.
- 30%: The published words look at: how far you can move the joint or spine; and a joint or the spine fixed in place so it does not move.
- 20%: The published words look at: how far you can move the joint or spine; muscle spasm, or a change in how you walk or stand; and how bad it is, shown by what it stops you from doing.
- 10%: The published words look at: how far you can move the joint or spine; muscle spasm, or a change in how you walk or stand; and pain, and what it stops you from doing.
Plain words come from our reading aid for the published words. They never add a symptom. The quotes below are the rule.
Exact words in 38 CFR § 4.71a
General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine
100% · “Unfavorable ankylosis of the entire spine”
50% · “Unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine”
40% · “Unfavorable ankylosis of the entire cervical spine; or, forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine 30 degrees or less; or, favorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine”
30% · “Forward flexion of the cervical spine 15 degrees or less; or, favorable ankylosis of the entire cervical spine”
20% · “Forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 60 degrees; or, forward flexion of the cervical spine greater than 15 degrees but not greater than 30 degrees; or, the combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine not greater than 120 degrees; or, the combined range of motion of the cervical spine not greater than 170 degrees; or, muscle spasm or guarding severe enough to result in an abnormal gait or abnormal spinal contour such as scoliosis, reversed lordosis, or abnormal kyphosis”
10% · “Forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 60 degrees but not greater than 85 degrees; or, forward flexion of the cervical spine greater than 30 degrees but not greater than 40 degrees; or, combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 120 degrees but not greater than 235 degrees; or, combined range of motion of the cervical spine greater than 170 degrees but not greater than 335 degrees; or, muscle spasm, guarding, or localized tenderness not resulting in abnormal gait or abnormal spinal contour; or, vertebral body fracture with loss of 50 percent or more of the height”
Notes printed with this code
“(For diagnostic codes 5235 to 5243 unless 5243 is evaluated under the Formula for Rating Intervertebral Disc Syndrome Based on Incapacitating Episodes):”
“With or without symptoms such as pain (whether or not it radiates), stiffness, or aching in the area of the spine affected by residuals of injury or disease”
“Note (1): Evaluate any associated objective neurologic abnormalities, including, but not limited to, bowel or bladder impairment, separately, under an appropriate diagnostic code.”
“Note (2): (See also Plate V.) For VA compensation purposes, normal forward flexion of the cervical spine is zero to 45 degrees, extension is zero to 45 degrees, left and right lateral flexion are zero to 45 degrees, and left and right lateral rotation are zero to 80 degrees. Normal forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine is zero to 90 degrees, extension is zero to 30 degrees, left and right lateral flexion are zero to 30 degrees, and left and right lateral rotation are zero to 30 degrees. The combined range of motion refers to the sum of the range of forward flexion, extension, left and right lateral flexion, and left and right rotation. The normal combined range of motion of the cervical spine is 340 degrees and of the thoracolumbar spine is 240 degrees. The normal ranges of motion for each component of spinal motion provided in this note are the maximum that can be used for calculation of the combined range of motion.”
“Note (3): In exceptional cases, an examiner may state that because of age, body habitus, neurologic disease, or other factors not the result of disease or injury of the spine, the range of motion of the spine in a particular individual should be considered normal for that individual, even though it does not conform to the normal range of motion stated in Note (2). Provided that the examiner supplies an explanation, the examiner's assessment that the range of motion is normal for that individual will be accepted.”
“Note (4): Round each range of motion measurement to the nearest five degrees.”
“Note (5): For VA compensation purposes, unfavorable ankylosis is a condition in which the entire cervical spine, the entire thoracolumbar spine, or the entire spine is fixed in flexion or extension, and the ankylosis results in one or more of the following: difficulty walking because of a limited line of vision; restricted opening of the mouth and chewing; breathing limited to diaphragmatic respiration; gastrointestinal symptoms due to pressure of the costal margin on the abdomen; dyspnea or dysphagia; atlantoaxial or cervical subluxation or dislocation; or neurologic symptoms due to nerve root stretching. Fixation of a spinal segment in neutral position (zero degrees) always represents favorable ankylosis.”
“Note (6): Separately evaluate disability of the thoracolumbar and cervical spine segments, except when there is unfavorable ankylosis of both segments, which will be rated as a single disability.”
What records usually show this
VA reads these things from your records: service treatment records, VA and private treatment records, and the VA claim exam (C&P exam). The published words on this page talk about:
- A joint or the spine fixed in place so it does not move: usually found in a test or exam result in your records. The rule book reads this number from the test, not from a statement.
- How far you can move the joint or spine: usually found in a test or exam result in your records. The rule book reads this number from the test, not from a statement.
- Muscle spasm, or a change in how you walk or stand: usually found in treatment notes or the VA claim exam (C&P exam) report that describe it, when those exist.
- How bad it is, shown by what it stops you from doing: usually found in treatment notes or the VA claim exam (C&P exam) report that describe it, when those exist.
- Pain, and what it stops you from doing: usually found in treatment notes or the VA claim exam (C&P exam) report that describe it, when those exist.
Education only. This does not say you have any of these, and a record that mentions them does not decide a rating. Only write what is true for you. Evidence needed for your disability claim · VA claim exam (C&P exam)
Put your records next to these lines
Statement review checks your own statement against the published words for this code and points out what it does not cover yet. It does not write it for you. Ask My Records finds where your uploaded records mention these topics and shows the page number.
Save this and organize your records - start free
14-day free trial, then $9.99/month or $107.99/year. No success fees, never a cut of your VA pay.
Prefer free, hands-on help? Accredited Veterans Service Officers (VSOs) can file a claim with you at no cost. Find accredited help on VA.gov.
Common questions
What percentages does the VA rating schedule list for Back or neck strain (DC 5237)?
38 CFR § 4.71a lists 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, and 100% for diagnostic code 5237. VA decides which line fits from the evidence. This page is not your rating.
Where do these words come from?
They are quoted from the public eCFR copy of 38 CFR § 4.71a, last checked 2026-10-10. The official page is linked on this page so you can check every word.
Does this page tell me what my rating will be?
No. It shows what the published rule book says. It does not predict a rating, a decision, or a dollar amount, and it does not say you have this condition.
Who can file a VA claim for me for free?
Accredited Veterans Service Officers (VSOs) can prepare and file a claim with you at no cost. VA lists accredited representatives on VA.gov. We do not file.
This page quotes the public VA rule book. It is not your rating and not your pay. We do not say you have this condition. We do not file. You, or a free accredited representative, file with VA.
Veterans Benefits AI · veteransbenefitsai.com · MAOMA Enterprises LLC. Veterans Benefits AI (veteransbenefitsai.com) is not affiliated with similarly named sites such as veteransbenefits.ai, with any VA GPT or chatbot, or with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.