Version 2024

2024 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code S56

Injury of muscle, fascia and tendon at forearm level

ICD-10-CM Code:
S56
ICD-10 Code for:
Injury of muscle, fascia and tendon at forearm level
Is Billable?
Not Valid for Submission
Code Navigator:

Code Classification

  • Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes
    (S00–T88)
    • Injuries to the elbow and forearm
      (S50-S59)
      • Injury of muscle, fascia and tendon at forearm level
        (S56)

S56 is a non-specific and non-billable diagnosis code code, consider using a code with a higher level of specificity for a diagnosis of injury of muscle, fascia and tendon at forearm level. The code is not specific and is NOT valid for the year 2024 for the submission of HIPAA-covered transactions. Category or Header define the heading of a category of codes that may be further subdivided by the use of 4th, 5th, 6th or 7th characters.

Specific Coding Applicable to Injury of muscle, fascia and tendon at forearm level

Non-specific codes like S56 require more digits to indicate the appropriate level of specificity. Consider using any of the following ICD-10-CM codes with a higher level of specificity when coding for injury of muscle, fascia and tendon at forearm level:

  • S56.0 for Injury of flexor muscle, fascia and tendon of thumb at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.00 for Unspecified injury of flexor muscle, fascia and tendon of thumb at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.01 for Strain of flexor muscle, fascia and tendon of thumb at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.02 for Laceration of flexor muscle, fascia and tendon of thumb at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.09 for Other injury of flexor muscle, fascia and tendon of thumb at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.1 for Injury of flexor muscle, fascia and tendon of other and unspecified finger at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.10 for Unspecified injury of flexor muscle, fascia and tendon of other and unspecified finger at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.11 for Strain of flexor muscle, fascia and tendon of other and unspecified finger at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.12 for Laceration of flexor muscle, fascia and tendon of other and unspecified finger at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.19 for Other injury of flexor muscle, fascia and tendon of other and unspecified finger at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.2 for Injury of other flexor muscle, fascia and tendon at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.20 for Unspecified injury of other flexor muscle, fascia and tendon at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.21 for Strain of other flexor muscle, fascia and tendon at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.22 for Laceration of other flexor muscle, fascia and tendon at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.29 for Other injury of other flexor muscle, fascia and tendon at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.3 for Injury of extensor or abductor muscles, fascia and tendons of thumb at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.30 for Unspecified injury of extensor or abductor muscles, fascia and tendons of thumb at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.31 for Strain of extensor or abductor muscles, fascia and tendons of thumb at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.32 for Laceration of extensor or abductor muscles, fascia and tendons of thumb at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.39 for Other injury of extensor or abductor muscles, fascia and tendons of thumb at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.4 for Injury of extensor muscle, fascia and tendon of other and unspecified finger at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.40 for Unspecified injury of extensor muscle, fascia and tendon of other and unspecified finger at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.41 for Strain of extensor muscle, fascia and tendon of other and unspecified finger at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.42 for Laceration of extensor muscle, fascia and tendon of other and unspecified finger at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.49 for Other injury of extensor muscle, fascia and tendon of other and unspecified finger at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.5 for Injury of other extensor muscle, fascia and tendon at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.50 for Unspecified injury of other extensor muscle, fascia and tendon at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.51 for Strain of other extensor muscle, fascia and tendon at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.52 for Laceration of other extensor muscle, fascia and tendon at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.59 for Other injury of other extensor muscle, fascia and tendon at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.8 for Injury of other muscles, fascia and tendons at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.80 for Unspecified injury of other muscles, fascia and tendons at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.81 for Strain of other muscles, fascia and tendons at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.82 for Laceration of other muscles, fascia and tendons at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.89 for Other injury of other muscles, fascia and tendons at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.9 for Injury of unspecified muscles, fascia and tendons at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.90 for Unspecified injury of unspecified muscles, fascia and tendons at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.91 for Strain of unspecified muscles, fascia and tendons at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.92 for Laceration of unspecified muscles, fascia and tendons at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

  • S56.99 for Other injury of unspecified muscles, fascia and tendons at forearm level - NON-BILLABLE CODE

Coding Guidelines

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from block Injury of muscle, fascia and tendon at forearm level (S56). Use the following options for the aplicable episode of care:

  • A - initial encounter
  • D - subsequent encounter
  • S - sequela

Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries

The following annotation back-references are applicable to this diagnosis code. The Tabular List of Diseases and Injuries is a list of ICD-10-CM codes, organized "head to toe" into chapters and sections with coding notes and guidance for inclusions, exclusions, descriptions and more.


Code Also

Code Also
A "code also" note instructs that two codes may be required to fully describe a condition, but this note does not provide sequencing direction.
  • any associated open wound S51

Type 2 Excludes

Type 2 Excludes
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.
  • injury of muscle, fascia and tendon at or below wrist S66
  • sprain of joints and ligaments of elbow S53.4

7th Character Note

7th Character Note
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.
  • The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S56

7th Character

7th Character
Indicates that a seventh character is to be assigned to codes in a subcategory.
  • A - initial encounter
  • D - subsequent encounter
  • S - sequela

Patient Education


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.

Types of arm injuries include :

  • Tendinitis and bursitis
  • Sprains
  • Dislocations
  • Fractures (broken bones)
  • Nerve problems
  • Osteoarthritis

You may also have problems or injure specific parts of your arm, such as your hand, wrist, elbow, or shoulder.


[Learn More in MedlinePlus]

Code History

  • FY 2024 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2023 through 9/30/2024
  • FY 2023 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2022 through 9/30/2023
  • FY 2022 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2021 through 9/30/2022
  • FY 2021 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2020 through 9/30/2021
  • FY 2020 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2019 through 9/30/2020
  • FY 2019 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2018 through 9/30/2019
  • FY 2018 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2017 through 9/30/2018
  • FY 2017 - No Change, effective from 10/1/2016 through 9/30/2017
  • FY 2016 - New Code, effective from 10/1/2015 through 9/30/2016. This was the first year ICD-10-CM was implemented into the HIPAA code set.