2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code S50Superficial injury of elbow and forearm
S50 is a non-billable ICD-10-CM category code for superficial injury of elbow and forearm, so it cannot be submitted on claims. Use a more specific code from this category instead, such as S50.00XA, S50.00XD, S50.00XS, and S50.01XA.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Specific Coding for Superficial injury of elbow and forearmOverview
Non-specific codes like S50 require more characters. Use one of these billable codes instead:
S50.0 for Contusion of elbow
S50.00 for Contusion of unspecified elbow
S50.01 for Contusion of right elbow
S50.02 for Contusion of left elbow
S50.1 for Contusion of forearm
S50.10 for Contusion of unspecified forearm
S50.11 for Contusion of right forearm
S50.12 for Contusion of left forearm
S50.3 for Other superficial injuries of elbow
S50.31 for Abrasion of elbow
S50.32 for Blister (nonthermal) of elbow
S50.34 for External constriction of elbow
S50.35 for Superficial foreign body of elbow
S50.36 for Insect bite (nonvenomous) of elbow
S50.37 for Other superficial bite of elbow
S50.8 for Other superficial injuries of forearm
S50.81 for Abrasion of forearm
S50.82 for Blister (nonthermal) of forearm
S50.84 for External constriction of forearm
S50.85 for Superficial foreign body of forearm
S50.86 for Insect bite (nonvenomous) of forearm
S50.87 for Other superficial bite of forearm
S50.9 for Unspecified superficial injury of elbow and forearm
S50.90 for Unspecified superficial injury of elbow
S50.91 for Unspecified superficial injury of forearm
Coding GuidelinesGuidance
The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from block Superficial injury of elbow and forearm (S50). 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.
Tabular List NotesGuidance
Coding notes and annotation back-references applicable to this code.
Type 2 Excludes
- superficial injury of wrist and hand S60
7th Character Note
- The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S50
7th Character
- A - initial encounter
- D - subsequent encounter
- S - sequela
A type 2 excludes note represents "Not included here". An excludes2 note indicates that the condition excluded is not part of the condition represented by the code, but a patient may have both conditions at the same time. When an Excludes2 note appears under a code, it is acceptable to use both the code and the excluded code together, when appropriate.
Certain ICD-10-CM categories have applicable 7th characters. The applicable 7th character is required for all codes within the category, or as the notes in the Tabular List instruct. The 7th character must always be the 7th character in the data field. If a code that requires a 7th character is not 6 characters, a placeholder X must be used to fill in the empty characters.
Indicates that a seventh character is to be assigned to codes in a subcategory.
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.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About S50Overview
Is S50 (Superficial injury of elbow and forearm) a billable code?
No. This is a category header that groups the codes for superficial injury of elbow and forearm, and headers cannot be submitted on claims. Claims for superficial injury of elbow and forearm need a more specific code from this category, such as S50.00XA, S50.00XD, and S50.00XS.
