2027 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code S96.929ALaceration of unspecified muscle and tendon at ankle and foot level, unspecified foot, initial encounter

ICD-10-CM Codes›S00–T88›S90-S99›S96

ICD-10-CM S96.929A
CMSSource: CMS FY 2027 ICD-10-CM dataset · Effective Oct 1, 2026 – Sep 30, 2027

S96.929A is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for laceration of unspecified muscle and tendon at ankle and foot level, unspecified foot, initial encounter. The 7th character A marks it as an initial encounter code, used while the patient is receiving active treatment. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027) and groups to MS-DRG 564 through 566, 963 through 965. As a secondary diagnosis, it counts as a complication or comorbidity (CC) and moves an inpatient stay to a higher severity level within its MS-DRG family. It does not count, however, when the principal diagnosis is one of 87 closely related codes. The code is flagged as an unspecified code, since codes identifying laterality exist in the same family. Coders also document this condition as laceration of ankle. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Open wounds to limbs, initial encounter.

Code Identity

ICD-10-CM Code
S96.929A
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Laceration of unspecified muscle and tendon at ankle and foot level, unspecified foot, initial encounter
Short Description
Laceration of unsp msl/tnd at ank/ft level, unsp foot, init
Parent Code
S96.929
Laceration of unspecified muscle and tendon at ankle and foot level, unspecified foot

Code Classification

ChapterS00–T88Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes
SectionS90-S99Injuries to the ankle and foot
CategoryS96Injury of muscle and tendon at ankle and foot level
This CodeS96.929ALaceration of unspecified muscle and tendon at ankle and foot level, unspecified foot, initial encounter

Code EditsBilling

Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for S96.929A.

Unspecified codes
Unspecified codes exist in the ICD-10-CM classification for circumstances when documentation in the medical record does not provide the level of detail needed to support reporting a more specific code. However, in the inpatient setting, there should generally be very limited and rare circumstances for which the laterality (right, left, bilateral) of a condition is unable to be documented and reported. The following pages contain the list of unspecified ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes for which there is a more specific code to identify laterality (right, left, bilateral) within that code family.

Approximate SynonymsGuidance

Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.

  • Laceration of ankle
  • Laceration of tendon of ankle
  • Laceration of tendon of foot
  • Laceration of tendon of lower leg
  • Laceration of tendon of toe

Coding GuidelinesGuidance

The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from block Injury of muscle and tendon at ankle and foot level (S96). 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 2027, published by CMS and the National Center for Health Statistics.

Instructional NotesGuidance

Instructions from the official ICD-10-CM Tabular List that apply to S96.929A: its own notes plus those printed at S96, block S90-S99, and Chapter 19. A note printed at a category, block or chapter applies to every code under it.

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 S96 Injury of muscle and tendon at ankle and foot level applies to 180 codes
  • injury of Achilles tendon (S86.0-)
  • sprain of joints and ligaments of ankle and foot (S93.-)
From Block S90-S99 Injuries to the ankle and foot applies to 3,324 codes
  • burns and corrosions (T20-T32)
  • fracture of ankle and malleolus (S82.-)
  • frostbite (T33-T34)
  • insect bite or sting, venomous (T63.4)
From Chapter 19 (S00-T88) Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes applies to 41,187 codes

Use Additional Code

Add a second code, after this one, to fully describe the condition.

From Chapter 19 (S00-T88) Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes applies to 41,187 codes
  • code to identify any retained foreign body, if applicable (Z18.-)

Code Also

A second code may be needed to fully describe the condition; the note gives no sequencing direction.

From S96 Injury of muscle and tendon at ankle and foot level applies to 180 codes
  • any associated open wound (S91.-)

Notes

General instructions on how these codes are used.

From Chapter 19 (S00-T88) Injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes applies to 41,187 codes
  • Use secondary code(s) from Chapter 20, External causes of morbidity, to indicate cause of injury. Codes within the T section that include the external cause do not require an additional external cause code
  • The chapter uses the S-section for coding different types of injuries related to single body regions and the T-section to cover injuries to unspecified body regions as well as poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes.

7th Character

Every code in the category takes a 7th character from the listed values, with the placeholder X filling any empty positions before it.

From S96 Injury of muscle and tendon at ankle and foot level applies to 180 codes
  • The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from category S96
Values for category S96 Encounter: Initial, Subsequent, Sequela
  • Ainitial encounter this code
  • Dsubsequent encounter
  • Ssequela

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

Referenced in Other NotesGuidance

Instructional notes printed at other codes that name S96.929A, its category, or a range that includes it.

Excludes2 2

These codes carry an Excludes2 note naming S96.929A: its condition is not part of those codes, and both may be reported when the patient has both.

  • S86 Injury of muscle, fascia and tendon at lower leg level
    injury of muscle, fascia and tendon at ankle (S96.-) names S96.-, which includes this code
  • S93 Dislocation and sprain of joints and ligaments at ankle, foot and toe level
    strain of muscle and tendon of ankle and foot (S96.-) names S96.-, which includes this code

Clinical ClassificationClinical

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

CCSR INJ012
Open wounds to limbs, initial encounter
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient Yes · outpatient Yes

Patient EducationClinical

Ankle Injuries and Disorders

Your ankle bone and the ends of your two lower leg bones make up the ankle joint. Your ligaments, which connect bones to one another, stabilize and support it. Your muscles and tendons move it.

Read the full article at MedlinePlus

Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Convert S96.929A to ICD-9-CMHistory

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

ICD-9-CM
891.2 Opn wnd knee/leg w tendn
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 S96.929AOverview

Is S96.929A a billable code?

Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report laceration of unspecified muscle and tendon at ankle and foot level, unspecified foot, initial encounter on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027.

What does the 7th character A in S96.929A mean?

The final character A marks the initial encounter: use it while the patient is receiving active treatment for laceration of unspecified muscle and tendon at ankle and foot level, unspecified foot, such as an emergency visit or first evaluation.

What MS-DRG does S96.929A group to?

When laceration of unspecified muscle and tendon at ankle and foot level, unspecified foot, initial encounter is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 564, 964, 965, 566, 565, 963, with relative weights from 0.7374 to 2.6361 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.

Is S96.929A a CC or MCC?

CMS lists S96.929A as a CC (complication or comorbidity) for FY 2027. Reported as a secondary diagnosis, it moves the inpatient stay to a higher-weighted DRG within its severity family. It does not count when the principal diagnosis is one of the 87 closely related codes in its exclusion list.

What is the ICD-9 equivalent of S96.929A?

Under the General Equivalence Mappings, laceration of unspecified muscle and tendon at ankle and foot level, unspecified foot, initial encounter converts to ICD-9-CM 891.2 (opn wnd knee/leg w tendn). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.