Spinal Stenosis — VA Disability Rating & Claim Guide
This is not legal or medical advice. Always consult with a VSO or accredited claims agent.
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The DBQ for Spinal Stenosis
Your C&P examiner fills out DBQ 21-0960M-14 (Back (Thoracolumbar Spine) Conditions) — the form that decides your rating. You can have your own doctor complete the same DBQ and submit it as evidence.
Have a C&P exam coming up? See exactly what the examiner will ask about Spinal Stenosis — and how to describe it.
Prep →2026 Compensation Rates
Monthly compensation for Spinal Stenosis, based on your overall combined VA disability rating.
| Rating | Monthly (Alone) | Monthly (w/ Spouse) | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | — | $2,165.04 |
| 20% | $356.66 | — | $4,279.92 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 | $6,629.64 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $882.84 | $9,550.08 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,241.90 | $13,594.80 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,566.02 | $17,220.24 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,961.45 | $21,701.40 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $2,277.15 | $25,225.80 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $2,559.30 | $28,347.60 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,158.17 | $47,262.96 |
Common Symptoms
Document these symptoms in your claim. The more thoroughly you describe how they affect your daily life, the stronger your claim.
Functional Limitations
VA rates disabilities based on how they limit your ability to function. Describe these limitations in your personal statement.
Rating Criteria for Spinal Stenosis
Rating schedule under 38 CFR 4.71a, General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine (DC 5238). Associated radiculopathy or other neurologic findings are rated separately under 4.124a.. Criteria are simplified summaries; your specific rating depends on severity documented in your C&P exam.
Forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 60 but not greater than 85 degrees (or cervical greater than 30 but not greater than 40 degrees); or combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 120 but not greater than 235 degrees; or muscle spasm, guarding, or localized tenderness not resulting in abnormal gait or spinal contour.
Forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine greater than 30 but not greater than 60 degrees (or cervical greater than 15 but not greater than 30 degrees); or combined range of motion of the thoracolumbar spine not greater than 120 degrees; or muscle spasm or guarding severe enough to cause an abnormal gait or abnormal spinal contour.
Forward flexion of the thoracolumbar spine 30 degrees or less; or favorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine; or unfavorable ankylosis of the entire cervical spine.
Unfavorable ankylosis of the entire thoracolumbar spine.
Unfavorable ankylosis of the entire spine.
Verified against 38 CFR Part 4, the official VA rating schedule. Reviewed July 2026.
Will adding Spinal Stenosis raise your rating?
Enter your current combined rating and the level this condition would rate at. We'll do the VA math.
New combined
10%
New monthly
$180
Change
+$180
Rates shown are the 2026 veteran-alone amounts (no dependents). VA combines ratings with "whole-person" math and rounds to the nearest 10, so adding a condition does not simply add its percentage. Full combined-rating calculator with dependents →
Peer-Reviewed Medical Evidence
Real, verified studies from PubMed/NIH that support a Spinal Stenosis claim. Bring these citations to your accredited VSO or C&P exam — they help show your condition is recognized in the medical literature and, where noted, linked to other service-connected conditions.
International Journal for Numerical Methods in Biomedical Engineering, 2023 · PMID 36606738
Finding: In a U.S. Army Research Institute biomechanical study of the heavy deadlift used as an Army fitness screening tool, peak L5-S1 compression and shear forces reached 17.2 kN and 4.2 kN, exceeding published spinal-segment injury thresholds. The authors conclude that chronic exposure to such high spinal loads may lead to micro-fractures, degeneration, and pathoanatomical changes.
Why it helps: Supports an association between the heavy lifting and loading demands of military service and cumulative lumbar spine degeneration of the type that produces spinal stenosis, which can help frame a direct service-connection argument.
Spine, 2015 · nexus to obesity / overweight · PMID 26165225
Finding: In a Swedish prospective cohort of 364,467 workers followed a mean of 31 years, obese workers had an incidence rate ratio of 2.18 (95% CI 1.87-2.53) and overweight workers 1.68 (95% CI 1.54-1.83) for developing lumbar spinal stenosis compared with normal-weight individuals.
Why it helps: Supports an association between obesity/overweight and the later development of lumbar spinal stenosis, useful where weight gain is itself secondary to a service-connected condition such as a musculoskeletal injury, PTSD, or psychiatric medication.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2024 · nexus to obesity / overweight · PMID 39685854
Finding: Among 2,161,684 adults followed for 10 years, lumbar spinal stenosis incidence rose with BMI, with adjusted hazard ratios of 1.245 (95% CI 1.238-1.252) for obesity class I and 1.348 (95% CI 1.331-1.366) for obesity class II and above versus normal weight.
Why it helps: Reinforces, in a very large nationwide cohort, the dose-response association between higher body weight and lumbar spinal stenosis, supporting a secondary nexus when obesity flows from a service-connected condition.
Clinical Medicine Insights: Endocrinology and Diabetes, 2016 · nexus to diabetes mellitus · PMID 27168730
Finding: In a case-control study, diabetes was present in 29.1% of lumbar spinal stenosis patients versus 10% of controls (P < 0.0001), and the authors conclude diabetes mellitus may be a predisposing factor for the development of lumbar spinal stenosis.
Why it helps: Supports an association between diabetes and lumbar spinal stenosis, relevant when diabetes is service-connected (including presumptive Agent Orange diabetes) and stenosis is claimed as secondary.
European Spine Journal, 2023 · nexus to dementia (claimed secondary to spinal stenosis) · PMID 35962870
Finding: In a prospective community cohort of 1,220 adults aged 65+, dementia developed in 10.8% of the lumbar spinal stenosis group versus 4.4% of controls, with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.87 (95% CI 1.14-3.07) after controlling for diabetes, depression, osteoarthritis, activity, and smoking.
Why it helps: Supports an association in which a downstream condition (dementia) may be claimed as secondary to established lumbar spinal stenosis.
International Journal of General Medicine, 2023 · nexus to sleep disorder / insomnia (claimed secondary to spinal stenosis) · PMID 38021067
Finding: In a prospective cohort with propensity-matched groups of 133 each, new-onset sleep disorder developed in 14.3% of the lumbar spinal stenosis group versus 4.5% of controls after adjusting for obesity, hypertension, diabetes, depression, and smoking, identifying LSS as an independent risk factor for sleep disorders.
Why it helps: Supports an association between lumbar spinal stenosis and the later onset of sleep disorders/insomnia, useful when a sleep condition is claimed as secondary to service-connected stenosis.
Maturitas, 2019 · nexus to depression / anxiety (claimed secondary to spinal stenosis / chronic back pain) · PMID 31351516
Finding: This review of musculoskeletal diseases including spinal stenosis and disc displacement found that major depressive disorder is associated with chronic back pain and that anxiety disorders are associated with lumbar disc herniation, concluding common musculoskeletal diseases are associated with depressive and anxiety disorders in adults aged 45 and over.
Why it helps: Supports an association between chronic painful spine conditions such as stenosis and depression/anxiety, relevant when a mental health condition is claimed as secondary to service-connected spinal stenosis.
Every citation is real and verified against PubMed. This is general information, not medical or legal advice — your accredited VSO or representative can advise on your specific claim.
Evidence Checklist
Gather these types of evidence before filing your claim. The strongest claims include multiple evidence types.
Common Treatments
Documenting ongoing treatment strengthens your claim and supports higher ratings.
Secondary Conditions Linked to Spinal Stenosis
These conditions are commonly claimed as secondary to Spinal Stenosis. A secondary condition can increase your overall combined rating and monthly compensation.
Radiculopathy
Nexus strength: strong· Commonly granted
Sciatica
Nexus strength: strong· Commonly granted
Peripheral Neuropathy
Nexus strength: moderate
Major Depressive Disorder
Nexus strength: strong· Commonly granted
Insomnia / Chronic Sleep Disturbance
Nexus strength: moderate· Commonly granted
Erectile Dysfunction
Nexus strength: weak
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Spinal Stenosis as a Secondary Condition
Spinal Stenosis is commonly claimed secondary to these primary conditions:
Filing a Spinal Stenosisclaim? Don't skip these.
Most veterans filing for Spinal Stenosis should also be looking at:
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Health care
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Home buying
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Draft your Spinal Stenosis personal statement
7-step wizard that builds your VA claim personal statement using your own words. Detects presumptive eligibility, cites 38 CFR + DBQ, includes federal-crime disclosure. You review and edit before filing.
Start draftingNot legal or medical advice. Always have a VSO or accredited rep review before filing.
Start Your Spinal Stenosis VA Claim
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Secondary Condition Claim Guides
Detailed guides on claiming each secondary condition linked to Spinal Stenosis.
Spinal Stenosis Claim Guide by State
Find state-specific VA facilities, veteran benefits, and filing resources.
More free tools
Educational content, not professional advice
This article is published by Military Transition Toolkit for educational and planning purposes. It is not legal, medical, or financial advice. VA rating criteria, benefits, and regulations change — verify anything benefits-affecting against VA.gov, 38 CFR Part 4, or a VA-accredited representative (VSO, agent, or attorney) before filing.
MTT is a veteran-owned planning tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, or any military branch.