2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code S46.912DStrain of unspecified muscle, fascia and tendon at shoulder and upper arm level, left arm, subsequent encounter
S46.912D is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for strain of unspecified muscle, fascia and tendon at shoulder and upper arm level, left arm, subsequent encounter. The 7th character D marks it as a subsequent encounter code, used during routine care in the healing or recovery phase. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 949 through 950. The code is exempt from POA reporting. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Sprains and strains, subsequent encounter.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Present on Admission (POA)Billing
S46.912D is exempt from POA reporting on inpatient claims to general acute care hospitals. Review other POA exempt codes.
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Injury of muscle of left upper arm
- Left shoulder skeletal muscle injury
- Pain in upper arm
- Pain of bilateral shoulder regions
- Pain of left upper arm
- Repetitive motion disorder of bilateral shoulders
- Repetitive motion disorder of left shoulder
- Repetitive motion disorder of left upper arm
- Repetitive motion disorder of right shoulder
- Rupture of tendon of left shoulder
- Shoulder strain
- Strain of muscle of left shoulder
- Strain of muscle of left upper arm
- Strain of muscle of upper arm
- Strain of shoulder muscle
- Strain of tendon of left shoulder region
- Strain of tendon of left upper limb
- Traumatic tear of tendon of left shoulder
Coding GuidelinesGuidance
The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from block Injury of muscle, fascia and tendon at shoulder and upper arm level (S46). Use the following options for the applicable episode of care:
- A - initial encounter
- D - subsequent encounter
- S - sequela
Source: ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, FY 2026, published by CMS and the National Center for Health Statistics.
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Patient EducationClinical
Arm Injuries and Disorders
Of the 206 bones in your body, three of them are in your arm: the humerus, radius, and ulna. Your arms are also made up of muscles, joints, tendons, and other connective tissue. Injuries to any of these parts of the arm can occur during sports, a fall, or an accident.
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert S46.912D to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About S46.912DOverview
Is S46.912D a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report strain of unspecified muscle, fascia and tendon at shoulder and upper arm level, left arm, subsequent encounter on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
What does the 7th character D in S46.912D mean?
The final character D marks a subsequent encounter: use it for routine care while the strain of unspecified muscle, fascia and tendon at shoulder and upper arm level, left arm is healing, after active treatment has ended.
What MS-DRG does S46.912D group to?
When strain of unspecified muscle, fascia and tendon at shoulder and upper arm level, left arm, subsequent encounter is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 949, 950, with relative weights from 0.6277 to 1.1897 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
Is S46.912D exempt from POA reporting?
Yes. CMS lists this code among those exempt from present on admission reporting, so hospitals do not assign a POA indicator for strain of unspecified muscle, fascia and tendon at shoulder and upper arm level, left arm, subsequent encounter on inpatient claims.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of S46.912D?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, strain of unspecified muscle, fascia and tendon at shoulder and upper arm level, left arm, subsequent encounter converts to ICD-9-CM V58.89 (other specfied aftercare). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.
Footnotes
[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.
