Contrary to its name, “tennis elbow” is not limited to only people with strong serves. Also known as elbow tendonitis, tennis elbow occurs when the tendons in your elbows have been taxed by repetitive movements in your arms and wrists.
Veterans are often susceptible to elbow tendonitis from their military tenure due to the physical demands of their service specialties.
Key Takeaways
- Tennis elbow is another name for elbow tendonitis, which develops when the tendons in your elbows have been taxed by repetitive movements.
- The tennis elbow VA rating is determined by the limitation of motion in the forearm and elbow.
- Veterans may also be eligible for a bilateral VA rating for tennis elbow if the condition affects both sides of the body.
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In this article about the tennis elbow VA rating:
What is tennis elbow?
The main pain points of elbow tendonitis occur where the tendons in the forearm attach to the bone on the outside of the elbow, but the pain can spread to the forearms and wrists.
Common occupational and service jobs where the labor can lead to elbow tendonitis include carpenters, painters, and plumbers.
Tennis elbow can make everyday tasks like gripping and holding objects and turning handles more difficult.
During a physical examination, a doctor may apply pressure to the areas in pain and ask the patient to move their elbows, forearms, and hands in specific ways. Sometimes, X-rays and other imaging tests are needed to ensure there are no other causes for the pain or limited range of movement.
Since elbow tendonitis falls under the larger category of elbow and forearm disabilities, they can be either unilateral or bilateral. If the tendonitis is only in one elbow or forearm, it is considered unilateral. If it affects both arms, it is bilateral.
Tennis elbow VA rating
The VA rates tennis elbow depending on the limitation of motion in the forearm and elbow and whether or not the injury is unilateral or bilateral (affecting both arms).
The criteria for elbow tendonitis disability ratings can be found in the musculoskeletal system section of the Schedule of Ratings under diagnostic codes 5206, 5207, and 5208.
The ratings are broken down into whether or not the injury is with the dominant hand (major) or non-dominant hand (minor).
Below are the criteria for limited flexion (the degree to which one can bend the limb or joint) of the forearm (DC 5206).
| Flexion limited to | VA rating (dominant arm) | VA rating (non-dominant arm) |
|---|---|---|
| 45° | 50% | 40% |
| 55° | 40% | 30% |
| 70° | 30% | 20% |
| 90° | 20% | 20% |
| 100° | 10% | 10% |
| 110° | 0% | 0% |
Here are the criteria for limited extension of the forearm (DC 5207).
| Extension limited to | VA rating (dominant arm) | VA rating (non-dominant arm) |
|---|---|---|
| 110° | 50% | 40% |
| 100° | 40% | 30% |
| 90° | 30% | 20% |
| 75° | 20% | 20% |
| 60° | 10% | 10% |
| 45° | 10% | 10% |
For forearms with flexion limited to 100° and extension limited to 45° (DC 5208), the rating is 20% for the dominant or non-dominant arm.
To figure out how much your monthly compensation would be, use our VA disability calculator which will do the complicated VA math for you.
Can tennis elbow be claimed as a VA disability?
As mentioned above, veterans may have an increased susceptibility to elbow tendonitis depending on their occupational specialties during service. If a veteran believes their tennis elbow can be attributed due to their military tenure, they can apply for compensation as a service-connected disability.
Direct service connection
To establish a direct service connection for elbow tendonitis, the condition must have occurred while in service or have been aggravated in service. Evidence of this would include:
- Medical evidence of a current disability
- Evidence of an in-service disease, injury, or event
- Medical evidence of a link between the current disability and what happened to you in service.
Secondary service connection
Service connection for elbow tendonitis can also be on a secondary basis. If the veteran has a primary service-connected disability and can prove that it causes or worsened their tennis elbow, he or she may qualify for benefits for tendonitis as a secondary condition. Evidence of this would include:
- Evidence of service-connection for first preceding disability
- Evidence of nexus between first and secondary service-connected disabilities
How Woods & Woods can help
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Frequently asked questions
Yes. If you believe you have elbow tendonitis that is connected to your military service, you may be eligible for a tennis elbow VA rating.
The tennis elbow VA rating is rated using musculoskeletal system section of the Schedule of Ratings under diagnostic codes 5206, 5207, and 5208. The ratings are based on the reduced limitation of motion in your limb or joint because of this disability. The ratings are affected by whether or not the injury is in the dominant or non-dominant arm or both arms.
Neil Woods
Neil Woods is a VA disability attorney and the owner and president of Woods & Woods. He received his law degree from Western Michigan University.
