Lumbosacral or cervical strain DC 5237
VA rates it under diagnostic code 5237 in 38 CFR 4.71a. Body system: Back & neck.
Also searched as: back pain, lower back pain, low back pain, lumbar strain, lumbosacral strain, bad back, back injury, degenerative disc disease, DDD, neck pain, cervical strain, neck strain, neck injury.
How VA rates it
The schedule allows 6 rating levels for this code: 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, and 100%. VA picks the level whose criteria best match your symptoms and records.
Rated under the general rating formula for diseases and injuries of the spine (§ 4.71a).
Source: 38 CFR 4.71a on eCFR. Read the full criteria there before you file.
Rating levels and criteria
This code is rated under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine (38 CFR 4.71a).
| Rating | What the schedule says |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Criteria text from 38 CFR 4.71a, eCFR as of November 10, 2026. The eCFR is the official source if anything here differs.
Conditions it can lead to
If this condition is service connected, these conditions are often claimed as secondary to it (38 CFR 3.310). Each one still needs its own diagnosis.
Major depressive disorder DC 9434 Established link
Living with chronic back pain is strongly linked with depression and anxiety. VA rates all mental health conditions together under one rating.
What to gather: A mental health diagnosis and a medical opinion that your pain condition caused it or made it worse.
Sources: 38 CFR 3.310 (secondary service connection); Bair et al., Depression and pain comorbidity: a literature review (Arch Intern Med, 2003); Prevalence of depression and anxiety among adults with chronic pain: systematic review and meta-analysis (JAMA Netw Open, 2025)
Major depressive disorder DC 9434 Established link
Living with chronic neck pain is strongly linked with depression and anxiety. VA rates all mental health conditions together under one rating.
What to gather: A mental health diagnosis and a medical opinion that your pain condition caused it or made it worse.
Sources: 38 CFR 3.310 (secondary service connection); Bair et al., Depression and pain comorbidity: a literature review (Arch Intern Med, 2003); Prevalence of depression and anxiety among adults with chronic pain: systematic review and meta-analysis (JAMA Netw Open, 2025)
Neurogenic bladder DC 7542 Established link Rated separately
Bladder problems caused by nerve damage from your low back condition are rated separately as neurogenic bladder.
What to gather: Tell the spine examiner about any bladder leakage or retention, and get a diagnosis from a doctor or urologist.
Sources: 38 CFR 4.71a, spine formula Note (1): rate nerve, bowel and bladder problems separately; 38 CFR 4.115b
Neurogenic bladder DC 7542 Established link Rated separately
Bladder problems caused by spinal cord or nerve damage from your neck condition are rated separately as neurogenic bladder.
What to gather: Tell the spine examiner about any bladder leakage or retention, and get a diagnosis from a doctor or urologist.
Sources: 38 CFR 4.71a, spine formula Note (1): rate nerve, bowel and bladder problems separately; 38 CFR 4.115b
Painful or unstable scars DC 7804 Established link
If you had surgery on your back, a painful or unstable surgical scar can get its own rating.
What to gather: Ask the examiner to look at and measure every surgical scar and note any pain or skin breakdown.
Sources: 38 CFR 3.310 (secondary service connection); 38 CFR 4.118 (scar ratings)
Paralysis of the anterior crural nerve (femoral) DC 8526 Established link Rated separately
If a nerve higher in your low back is pinched, pain or numbness in the front of the thigh is rated separately under the femoral nerve code.
What to gather: Rated as part of your spine claim. Ask the examiner to test nerve function in your arms or legs and to name the nerve involved.
Sources: 38 CFR 4.71a, spine formula Note (1): rate nerve, bowel and bladder problems separately; 38 CFR 4.124a (nerve and neurological ratings)
Paralysis of the lower radicular group DC 8512 Established link Rated separately
A pinched nerve in the neck at the lower (C8 and T1) nerve roots is rated separately for each arm, on top of the neck rating.
What to gather: Rated as part of your spine claim. Ask the examiner to test nerve function in your arms or legs and to name the nerve involved.
Sources: 38 CFR 4.71a, spine formula Note (1): rate nerve, bowel and bladder problems separately; 38 CFR 4.124a (nerve and neurological ratings)
Paralysis of the middle radicular group DC 8511 Established link Rated separately
A pinched nerve in the neck at the middle (C7) nerve roots is rated separately for each arm, on top of the neck rating.
What to gather: Rated as part of your spine claim. Ask the examiner to test nerve function in your arms or legs and to name the nerve involved.
Sources: 38 CFR 4.71a, spine formula Note (1): rate nerve, bowel and bladder problems separately; 38 CFR 4.124a (nerve and neurological ratings)
Radiculopathy: arm (upper radicular group) DC 8510 Established link Rated separately
A pinched nerve in the neck at the upper (C5 and C6) nerve roots is rated separately for each arm, on top of the neck rating.
What to gather: Rated as part of your spine claim. Ask the examiner to test nerve function in your arms or legs and to name the nerve involved.
Sources: 38 CFR 4.71a, spine formula Note (1): rate nerve, bowel and bladder problems separately; 38 CFR 4.124a (nerve and neurological ratings)
Radiculopathy: leg (sciatic nerve) DC 8520 Established link Rated separately
A pinched nerve from your low back condition (sciatica or radiculopathy) gets its own rating for each leg, on top of the spine rating.
What to gather: Rated as part of your spine claim. Ask the examiner to test nerve function in your arms or legs and to name the nerve involved.
Sources: 38 CFR 4.71a, spine formula Note (1): rate nerve, bowel and bladder problems separately; 38 CFR 4.124a (nerve and neurological ratings)
Rectum and anus, impairment of sphincter control DC 7332 Established link Rated separately
Loss of bowel control caused by nerve damage from your low back condition is rated separately.
What to gather: Tell the spine examiner about any bowel leakage, and get it documented in your medical records.
Sources: 38 CFR 4.71a, spine formula Note (1): rate nerve, bowel and bladder problems separately; 38 CFR 4.114
Commonly claimed as secondary to
If one of these is already service connected, you may be able to claim this condition as secondary to it.
Flat feet (pes planus) DC 5276 Possible link
Flat, rolled-in feet are linked with lower back pain in research on foot posture.
What to gather: A diagnosis of the second joint and a medical opinion explaining how the first condition changed the way you walk or carry weight.
Sources: 38 CFR 3.310 (secondary service connection); Foot posture, foot function and low back pain: the Framingham Foot Study (Rheumatology, 2013)
Hip (limited flexion) DC 5252 Possible link
Hip problems change posture and stride, which is linked with lower back pain.
What to gather: A diagnosis of the second joint and a medical opinion explaining how the first condition changed the way you walk or carry weight.
Sources: 38 CFR 3.310 (secondary service connection); Hip-spine and knee-spine syndrome (Cureus, 2024)
Knee (limited flexion) DC 5260 Possible link
Limping or favoring a bad knee can put extra strain on your lower back over time.
What to gather: A diagnosis of the second joint and a medical opinion explaining how the first condition changed the way you walk or carry weight.
Sources: 38 CFR 3.310 (secondary service connection); Knee-spine syndrome: when knee osteoarthritis coexists with spine degeneration (Cureus, 2022)
Leg, amputation of: at a lower level, permitting prosthesis DC 5165 Possible link
Walking with a prosthesis changes posture and stride, and lower back pain is a common long-term problem after leg amputation.
What to gather: A diagnosis of the second joint and a medical opinion explaining how the first condition changed the way you walk or carry weight.
Sources: 38 CFR 3.310 (secondary service connection); Gailey et al., Secondary physical conditions after lower-limb amputation (J Rehabil Res Dev, 2008)
Thigh, amputation of: middle or lower thirds DC 5162 Possible link
Walking with a prosthesis changes posture and stride, and lower back pain is a common long-term problem after leg amputation.
What to gather: A diagnosis of the second joint and a medical opinion explaining how the first condition changed the way you walk or carry weight.
Sources: 38 CFR 3.310 (secondary service connection); Gailey et al., Secondary physical conditions after lower-limb amputation (J Rehabil Res Dev, 2008)
Related medications
Medications prescribed for it
A prescription shows the condition was diagnosed. It still needs its own link to service.
- Carisoprodol (Soma). FDA labels: Carisoprodol (DailyMed)
- Chlorzoxazone (Lorzone). FDA labels: Chlorzoxazone (DailyMed)
- Cyclobenzaprine (Amrix, Fexmid). FDA labels: Cyclobenzaprine (DailyMed)
- Duloxetine (Cymbalta, Drizalma). FDA labels: Duloxetine (DailyMed)
- Metaxalone (Skelaxin). FDA labels: Metaxalone (DailyMed)
- Methocarbamol (Robaxin). FDA labels: Methocarbamol (DailyMed)
- Orphenadrine. FDA labels: Orphenadrine (DailyMed)
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Rating schedule data as of November 10, 2026. Secondary and presumptive links checked November 13, 2026.
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