Strain or injury to the muscles and ligaments of the lower back or neck.
Medical records that document how far you can bend forward, extend, and rotate your neck or lower back are central to this rating. A VA or private examiner measures these angles and rounds each to the nearest five degrees. Records showing muscle spasm, guarding, or localized tenderness — and whether those findings change your gait or the shape of your spine — help distinguish the 10% level from the 20% level.
Imaging such as X-rays or MRI can show vertebral body fractures and the degree of height loss, which is relevant at the 10% level. If your spine is fixed in one position, records should describe whether that fixation causes difficulty walking, breathing, chewing, swallowing, or neurologic symptoms, because those details separate unfavorable ankylosis from favorable ankylosis and affect whether a 40%, 50%, or 100% rating applies.
Your own statements, and statements from people who see you daily, describing how pain, stiffness, or limited motion affect your ability to work, sit, stand, or carry out daily tasks can help show the full picture of your functional loss. If you also have bowel, bladder, or other neurologic symptoms, those should be documented separately, as they are rated under a different code.
Conditions that are often caused or made worse by this one. If you have any of these, they may be claimable as secondary service connection.
