Tendonitis has no rating percentage of its own. VA rates it under diagnostic code 5024, which instructs raters to evaluate the condition as degenerative arthritis based on limitation of motion of the affected joint. In practice that means most veterans with service-connected tendonitis land at 10 percent or 20 percent per joint, and the exact number depends entirely on which joint is involved and how many degrees of motion you have lost. At 2026 rates, 10 percent pays $180.42 per month and 20 percent pays $356.66 per month for a veteran with no dependents.
The important consequence of that structure: your diagnosis does not decide your rating. Your range of motion measurements at the Compensation and Pension exam do.
What Diagnostic Code 5024 Actually Says
Under 38 CFR 4.71a, diagnostic code 5024 covers tenosynovitis, tendinitis, tendinosis, and tendinopathy. The instruction attached to codes 5013 through 5024 is short: evaluate these diseases as degenerative arthritis, based on limitation of motion of affected parts.
Diagnostic code 5003, the degenerative arthritis code, then sends the rater to the limitation of motion code for the specific joint. So a shoulder tendonitis claim gets measured against DC 5201 (arm limitation of motion). An ankle tendonitis claim gets measured against DC 5271. A knee claim goes to DC 5260 and DC 5261.
If your measured motion loss is too small to earn a compensable rating under the joint code, DC 5003 provides a fallback. A 10 percent rating applies for each major joint or group of minor joints affected by limitation of motion, when the limitation is noncompensable under the appropriate code and there is satisfactory evidence of painful motion.
There is also an X-ray based path in DC 5003 that some veterans qualify for:
| DC 5003 X-ray criteria | Rating |
|---|
| X-ray evidence of involvement of 2 or more major joints or 2 or more minor joint groups, with occasional incapacitating exacerbations | 20% |
| X-ray evidence of involvement of 2 or more major joints or 2 or more minor joint groups | 10% |
These X-ray based ratings cannot be combined with ratings based on limitation of motion for the same joints. You get one or the other, not both.
The Painful Motion Rule That Wins Most Tendonitis Claims
38 CFR 4.59 is the regulation most tendonitis veterans should know by name. It states that the intent of the rating schedule is to recognize painful motion with joint or periarticular pathology as productive of disability, and that actually painful joints are entitled to at least the minimum compensable rating for the joint.
For most major joints, the minimum compensable rating is 10 percent. That is why a veteran with rotator cuff tendonitis who can still raise the arm to 150 degrees, well short of any DC 5201 threshold, often still receives 10 percent. The pain on motion itself is the disability being compensated.
Two case law rules also shape the exam:
- DeLuca v. Brown requires the rater to consider additional functional loss during flare-ups and after repeated use over time, not just the single measurement taken in the exam room on a good day.
- Correia v. McDonald requires range of motion testing in active motion, passive motion, weight-bearing, and non-weight-bearing conditions where applicable. An exam missing those measurements is often inadequate.
If your C&P exam report does not address flare-ups or does not include all four testing conditions, that is a concrete basis for asking for a new exam.
Rating Thresholds by Joint
Because DC 5024 borrows the joint codes, here is what the rater is actually comparing your measurements against.
Shoulder (DC 5201, arm limitation of motion)
| Limitation | Dominant arm | Non-dominant arm |
|---|
| Flexion and/or abduction limited to 25 degrees from side | 40% | 30% |
| Midway between side and shoulder level (limited to 45 degrees) | 30% | 20% |
| At shoulder level (limited to 90 degrees) | 20% | 20% |
Rotator cuff tendonitis and biceps tendonitis are the most commonly claimed shoulder tendon conditions. Note that normal shoulder flexion and abduction is 180 degrees, so a 20 percent rating requires losing half your motion.
Knee (DC 5260 flexion, DC 5261 extension)
| Flexion limited to | Rating |
|---|
| 15 degrees | 30% |
| 30 degrees | 20% |
| 45 degrees | 10% |
| Extension limited to | Rating |
|---|
| 45 degrees | 50% |
| 30 degrees | 40% |
| 20 degrees | 30% |
| 15 degrees | 20% |
| 10 degrees | 10% |
Patellar tendonitis, often called jumper's knee, and quadriceps tendonitis are rated here. Flexion and extension can be rated separately for the same knee when both are compensably limited, since they are distinct functions.
Ankle (DC 5271)
| Limitation | Rating |
|---|
| Marked (less than 5 degrees dorsiflexion or less than 10 degrees plantar flexion) | 20% |
| Moderate (less than 15 degrees dorsiflexion or less than 30 degrees plantar flexion) | 10% |
Achilles tendonitis and posterior tibial tendonitis are usually rated under this code. The 2021 update to the musculoskeletal schedule added the specific degree figures in parentheses, which removed a lot of the guesswork that used to surround the words "moderate" and "marked."
Wrist (DC 5215)
| Limitation | Rating |
|---|
| Dorsiflexion less than 15 degrees | 10% |
| Palmar flexion limited in line with forearm | 10% |
DC 5215 tops out at 10 percent. De Quervain's tenosynovitis, the classic thumb-side wrist tendon condition, is typically rated here or under DC 5024 with the 4.59 minimum.
Elbow (DC 5206 flexion, DC 5207 extension)
| Forearm flexion limited to | Rating |
|---|
| 45 degrees | 50% |
| 55 degrees | 40% |
| 70 degrees | 30% |
| 90 degrees | 20% |
| 100 degrees | 10% |
Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) and medial epicondylitis (golfer's elbow) fall here. These ratings are for the dominant arm; non-dominant ratings run lower at the upper tiers.
Which Joints Count as "Major"
38 CFR 4.45 defines the major joints as the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle. Minor joint groups include the interphalangeal, metacarpal and carpal joints of the upper extremities, the interphalangeal, metatarsal and tarsal joints of the lower extremities, and the cervical, dorsal, and lumbar vertebrae.
This matters because the DC 5003 fallback assigns 10 percent per major joint or per group of minor joints. Tendonitis in both shoulders is two separate 10 percent ratings, not one.
2026 Monthly Payment Amounts
The 2026 rates took effect December 1, 2025, after a 2.8 percent cost of living adjustment. Amounts below are for a veteran with no dependents.
| Combined rating | Monthly payment (veteran alone) |
|---|
| 10% | $180.42 |
| 20% | $356.66 |
| 30% | $552.47 |
| 40% | $795.84 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 |
Additional compensation for a spouse, children, or dependent parents begins at the 30 percent level. Veterans rated 10 percent or 20 percent do not receive dependent add-ons.
Keep in mind that multiple tendonitis ratings combine, they do not add. Two 10 percent ratings combine to 19 percent, which rounds to 20 percent. Three 10 percent ratings combine to 27 percent, rounding to 30 percent. VA uses the combined ratings table in 38 CFR 4.25, and the bilateral factor in 4.26 adds a small bump when disabilities affect both arms or both legs.
How to File a Tendonitis Claim
1. Confirm you have a current diagnosis. VA needs a medical record naming the condition. "Shoulder pain" without a tendonitis diagnosis is a common reason claims stall, though the Saunders decision means undiagnosed pain causing functional loss can still be service connected in some circumstances.
2. Establish the in-service event or the secondary link. Direct service connection needs evidence of the injury, overuse, or repetitive duty in service. Many tendonitis claims are stronger as secondary claims: Achilles tendonitis caused by an altered gait from a service-connected knee, or shoulder tendonitis developing after a service-connected cervical spine condition changed how you carry load.
3. Get a nexus opinion. A private medical opinion stating the condition is "at least as likely as not" related to service, or to a service-connected condition, carries real weight. The opinion should reference your service treatment records and explain the medical reasoning, not just state a conclusion.
4. File on VA.gov. Submit VA Form 21-526EZ online at va.gov/disability/file-disability-claim-form-21-526ez. Consider filing an intent to file (VA Form 21-0966) first to lock in an effective date while you gather evidence. That preserves up to a year of backpay potential.
5. Attend the C&P exam and be accurate. Do not push through pain to show your best range of motion. Report your typical day, your worst days, and how often flare-ups happen. The examiner is required to consider functional loss during flare-ups, and they can only do that with your description.
6. Track the claim. Check status on VA.gov. If the decision assigns 0 percent or a lower rating than the evidence supports, you have one year to file a supplemental claim (VA Form 20-0995), a higher-level review (VA Form 20-0996), or a Board appeal (VA Form 10182).
Common Reasons Tendonitis Ratings Come Back at 0 Percent
- The exam recorded full or near-full range of motion with no documented pain on motion, so neither the joint code nor 38 CFR 4.59 applied.
- The condition was rated as part of an existing joint disability, and separately rating it would be pyramiding under 38 CFR 4.14.
- Records showed an acute in-service flare that resolved, with no continuity of symptoms afterward.
- No current diagnosis appears in the file, only complaints of pain.
The first item is the most fixable. If you have pain on motion documented in treatment records but the C&P examiner did not note it, a supplemental claim with those records attached is the direct route.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the highest VA rating for tendonitis?
There is no single ceiling, because DC 5024 borrows whichever joint code applies. Knee extension limitation can reach 50 percent, elbow flexion can reach 50 percent, and shoulder motion can reach 40 percent for the dominant arm. In practice, tendonitis alone rarely produces motion loss severe enough for those tiers. Most tendonitis ratings are 10 percent or 20 percent per joint.
Can I get a separate rating for tendonitis in each shoulder?
Yes. Each joint is rated separately, then combined under 38 CFR 4.25. Bilateral tendonitis in both shoulders or both knees also triggers the bilateral factor in 38 CFR 4.26, which adds a small percentage before the final combination.
Does tendonitis qualify for a 0 percent rating?
Yes, and a 0 percent rating still matters. It establishes service connection, which means no new nexus is needed if the condition worsens later. It also counts toward VA health care priority group placement and preserves your effective date for future increases.
Is plantar fasciitis rated the same as tendonitis?
No. Since the February 2021 update, plantar fasciitis has its own code, DC 5269, rated 10 percent when it responds to treatment, 20 percent when unilateral and not responsive, and 30 percent when bilateral and not responsive. Achilles tendonitis remains under DC 5024 rated through the ankle code.
How do I get my tendonitis rating increased?
File a supplemental claim with new evidence showing worse range of motion, more frequent flare-ups, or additional functional loss. Treatment records dated after your last decision are the strongest evidence. If you believe the prior rating misapplied the law rather than missed evidence, a higher-level review may be faster.
Will the 2026 COLA change my tendonitis rating?
No. The 2.8 percent COLA that took effect December 1, 2025 raised payment amounts, not rating percentages. The adjustment is automatic and requires no action from you.
