2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code R26.1Paralytic gait

ICD-10-CM Codes›R00–R99›R25-R29›R26

ICD-10-CM R26.1
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

R26.1 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for paralytic gait. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) and groups to MS-DRG 91 through 93. As a symptom code, it should not be used as a principal diagnosis once a related definitive diagnosis has been established. Coders also document this condition as diplegic gait. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Nervous system signs and symptoms.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
R26.1
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Paralytic gait
Short Description
Paralytic gait
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Parent Code
R26
Abnormalities of gait and mobility

Code Classification

ChapterR00–R99Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified
SectionR25-R29Symptoms and signs involving the nervous and musculoskeletal systems
CategoryR26Abnormalities of gait and mobility
This CodeR26.1Paralytic gait

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Diplegic gait
  • Hemiplegic gait
  • Intermittent double-step gait
  • Paraplegic gait
  • Scissoring gait
  • Spastic gait

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to R26.1: its own notes plus those printed at R26 and Chapter 18. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.

Applicable To

Conditions this code is used for: synonyms of the title or, for "other specified" codes, the conditions assigned to it. The list is not exhaustive.

  • Spastic gait

Excludes1

Not coded here: the excluded code is never reported together with this one, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

From R26 Abnormalities of gait and mobility applies to 6 codes
  • ataxia NOS (R27.0)
  • hereditary ataxia (G11.-)
  • locomotor (syphilitic) ataxia (A52.11)
  • immobility syndrome (paraplegic) (M62.3)

Excludes2

Not included here: the excluded condition is not part of this code, but a patient may have both, so both codes may be reported.

From Chapter 18 (R00-R99) Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified applies to 774 codes
  • abnormal findings on antenatal screening of mother (O28.-)
  • certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
  • signs and symptoms classified in the body system chapters
  • signs and symptoms of breast (N63, N64.5)

Notes

General instructions on how these codes are used.

From Chapter 18 (R00-R99) Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified applies to 774 codes
  • This chapter includes symptoms, signs, abnormal results of clinical or other investigative procedures, and ill-defined conditions regarding which no diagnosis classifiable elsewhere is recorded.
  • Signs and symptoms that point rather definitely to a given diagnosis have been assigned to a category in other chapters of the classification. In general, categories in this chapter include the less well-defined conditions and symptoms that, without the necessary study of the case to establish a final diagnosis, point perhaps equally to two or more diseases or to two or more systems of the body. Practically all categories in the chapter could be designated 'not otherwise specified', 'unknown etiology' or 'transient'. The Alphabetical Index should be consulted to determine which symptoms and signs are to be allocated here and which to other chapters. The residual subcategories, numbered .8, are generally provided for other relevant symptoms that cannot be allocated elsewhere in the classification.
  • The conditions and signs or symptoms included in categories R00-R94 consist of:
  • (a) cases for which no more specific diagnosis can be made even after all the facts bearing on the case have been investigated;
  • (b) signs or symptoms existing at the time of initial encounter that proved to be transient and whose causes could not be determined;
  • (c) provisional diagnosis in a patient who failed to return for further investigation or care;
  • (d) cases referred elsewhere for investigation or treatment before the diagnosis was made;
  • (e) cases in which a more precise diagnosis was not available for any other reason;
  • (f) certain symptoms, for which supplementary information is provided, that represent important problems in medical care in their own right.

Source: CMS ICD-10-CM Tabular List. How to read instructional notes.

Referenced in Other NotesGuidance

Instructional notes printed at other codes that name R26.1, its category, or a range that includes it.

Excludes1 1

These codes carry an Excludes1 note naming R26.1: they are not reported together with it, unless the two conditions are unrelated.

  • F82 Specific developmental disorder of motor function
    abnormalities of gait and mobility (R26.-) names R26.-, which includes this code

Excludes2 1

These codes carry an Excludes2 note naming R26.1: its condition is not part of those codes, and both may be reported when the patient has both.

  • M25 Other joint disorder, not elsewhere classified
    abnormality of gait and mobility (R26.-) names R26.-, which includes this code

Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance

Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.

Clinical ClassificationClinical

AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.

CCSR SYM010
Nervous system signs and symptoms
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Walking Problems

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Read the full article at MedlinePlus

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Convert R26.1 to ICD-9-CMHistory

The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.

ICD-9-CM
781.2 Abnormality of gait
Approximate The match is approximate rather than exact.

Code HistoryHistory

FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2026No changes
FY 2027CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Questions About R26.1Overview

What is the ICD-10 code for paralytic gait?

The ICD-10-CM code for paralytic gait is R26.1 (sometimes written as R261). It is billable on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

Is R26.1 (Abnormalities of gait and mobility) a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report paralytic gait on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

What MS-DRG does R26.1 group to?

When paralytic gait is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 91, 92, 93, with relative weights from 0.7783 to 1.7050 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

Can R26.1 be a principal diagnosis?

Use it with care. This is a symptom code, so once a definitive diagnosis explaining the paralytic gait is established, that condition takes the principal position instead.

Can R26.1 be reported with R27.0?

Not as a rule. The Excludes1 note at R26, which applies to R26.1, lists "ataxia NOS (R27.0)". An Excludes1 note means the excluded code is never reported together with this one; the only exception is when the two conditions are unrelated to each other (Official Guidelines, Section I.A.12.a).