M70.972 — Unspecified soft tissue disorder related to use, overuse and pressure, left ankle and foot
Is M70.972 billable?
Yes, but M70.972 is an unspecified code. M70.972 is a valid, billable ICD-10-CM code for encounters from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. However, M70.972 is an unspecified or catch-all code. Payers apply additional scrutiny to unspecified codes and many deny them when the medical record supports a more specific option, so check the documentation before selecting M70.972 — the more specific alternatives are listed below.
M70.972 at a glance
| Code | M70.972 |
|---|---|
| Description | Unspecified soft tissue disorder related to use, overuse and pressure, left ankle and foot |
| Billable | Yes |
| Code set | ICD-10-CM FY2027 |
| Valid for encounters | October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 |
Which MS-DRGs does M70.972 group to?
M70.972 sits in MDC 08 and helps define the logic of 2 MS-DRGs (version 44, FY2027). Which one a stay actually groups to also depends on procedures and secondary diagnoses.
- 555Signs and Symptoms of Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue with MCCmedical
- 556Signs and Symptoms of Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue without MCCmedical
How is M70.972 listed in the Alphabetic Index?
The Alphabetic Index lists these routes under M70.97, the nearest indexed parent of M70.972. Use them to find the family, then select the specific code.
- Disorder › soft tissue › due to use, overuse and pressure › ankle (of)
- Disorder › soft tissue › due to use, overuse and pressure › foot (of)
Excludes1 — never code together — inherited from M70
The conditions below can never be reported together with M70.972 on the same claim. An Excludes1 note means the two conditions cannot occur in the same patient, so reporting both is a coding error.
- bursitis NOS (M71.9-)
Use additional code — inherited from M70
Report an additional code alongside M70.972 to fully describe the condition. M70.972 is sequenced first.
- external cause code to identify activity causing disorder (Y93.-)
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from Chapter 13
The conditions below are not part of M70.972, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, M70.972 and the excluded code may both be reported.
- arthropathic psoriasis (L40.5-)
- certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)
- certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)
- compartment syndrome (traumatic) (T79.A-)
- complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)
- congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)
- endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)
- injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)
- neoplasms (C00-D49)
- symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)
Excludes2 — not included here — inherited from M70
The conditions below are not part of M70.972, but a patient may have both at the same time. When documentation supports it, M70.972 and the excluded code may both be reported.
How long has M70.972 existed?
M70.972 has been in ICD-10-CM since at least FY2016, the earliest fiscal year on record here.
Derived from the official order files for FY2016–FY2026. FY2017 and FY2020 publish no order file, so those years are not covered.