M62.3

M62.3 identifies immobility syndrome in the context of paraplegia or prolonged immobilization — a condition in which chronic lack of movement leads to secondary musculoskeletal deterioration including muscle atrophy, contracture, and joint stiffness.

Verified May 8, 2026 · 6 sources ↓

Status: Billable
Chapter: 13
Related CPT: 5
Region: General

Drawn from CDCICD10DataAAPCCMS

Documentation tips

What should appear in the chart to support M62.3.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 6 cited references ↓

Document the underlying cause of immobility explicitly — paraplegia, spinal cord injury level, or equivalent prolonged immobilization — so the sequencing relationship is clear and auditable.
Record objective findings that confirm the syndrome: muscle atrophy measurements, range-of-motion deficits, pressure injury risk, or functional limitation scores.
When coding for home health or PT services, confirm M62.3 appears on the supporting diagnosis list; CMS LCD A57311 lists it specifically as supporting medical necessity for physical therapy.
If a fixed contracture is also present, add the appropriate M62.4x code (laterality and site required) alongside M62.3 — they are not mutually exclusive.
Distinguish acquired immobility syndrome (M62.3) from congenital arthrogryposis (Q74.3); document onset and etiology clearly to support whichever code is used.

Related CPT procedures

Procedure codes commonly billed with M62.3. Linking the right diagnosis to the right procedure is what establishes medical necessity.

Source · CMS LCDs · AAOS specialty guidance · claims-pattern analysis

97110 $29.06

Therapeutic exercise billed per 15-minute unit, targeting strength, endurance, range of motion, or flexibility with direct one-on-one patient contact.

97530 $35.07

Dynamic, functional activities that use multiple parameters such as balance, strength, and range of motion together to improve real-world performance, billed in 15-minute units.

97542 $31.06

Wheelchair assessment, fitting, and training in propulsion and safe use, billed in 15-minute units of direct contact.

99213 $95.19

Established patient office or outpatient visit requiring 20–29 minutes of total time or low-complexity medical decision-making.

99214 $135.61

Office visit for an established patient requiring moderate-complexity medical decision making (MDM), or 30–39 minutes of total provider time on the date of service.

Common coding pitfalls

The recurring mistakes coders make with M62.3 and adjacent codes.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in CDC ICD-10-CM tabular guidance, AAOS coding references, and cited references ↓

Assigning M62.3 alone without a code for the underlying paraplegia or neurological condition — the underlying cause drives medical necessity and MS-DRG assignment; omitting it leaves the claim incomplete.
Confusing M62.3 with congenital arthrogryposis: the tabular lists arthrogryposis as an approximate synonym, but Q74.3 is correct for congenital multiplex arthrogryposis; M62.3 is for acquired immobility syndrome.
Using M62.3 as a standalone primary diagnosis for a routine orthopedic encounter when it is actually a complicating comorbidity — sequence it secondary to the condition driving the visit.
Overlooking that MS-DRG v43.0 groups M62.3 into DRGs 557/558 (Tendonitis, Myositis and Bursitis) — reviewers may question the clinical alignment if documentation doesn't reflect a soft-tissue disorder; ensure the note supports this grouping.

Clinical context

Source · Editorial summary grounded in 6 cited references ↓

M62.3 applies when a patient's primary clinical problem is the systemic musculoskeletal consequence of immobility, most commonly in paraplegic or severely deconditioned patients. The code captures the downstream muscle and soft-tissue pathology — atrophy, weakness, contracture risk — that results from long-term inability to bear weight or actively move limbs. It is not a neurological code; the paraplegia itself should be coded separately (e.g., G82.2x series) and sequenced as the underlying cause when appropriate.

In orthopedic practice, M62.3 appears most frequently as a secondary diagnosis accompanying procedures or evaluations for patients with spinal cord injury, post-surgical prolonged immobilization, or severe neurological disability. CMS recognizes it as a covered diagnosis for home-health physical therapy (LCD Group 1), reflecting its role in justifying rehabilitative and maintenance therapy services.

The approximate synonym arthrogryposis is listed under M62.3 in the tabular, but congenital arthrogryposis multiplex (Q74.3) is the preferred code when the condition is congenital in origin. Use M62.3 when the immobility syndrome is acquired and documented in the context of paraplegia or equivalent prolonged immobilization.

Sibling codes

Other billable codes under M62 (laterality / anatomic variants).

M62.9

Disorder of muscle, unspecified

Frequently asked questions

Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 6 cited references ↓

01Is M62.3 billable as a standalone primary diagnosis?

Yes, M62.3 is a billable specific code, but in most orthopedic encounters it should be sequenced secondary to the underlying neurological or immobility-causing condition. Use it as primary only when the immobility syndrome itself is the explicit focus of the encounter.

02Should I also code the paraplegia separately?

Yes. Code the underlying paraplegia (e.g., G82.20–G82.54 depending on level and completeness) separately and sequence it first when it is the condition driving the encounter. M62.3 captures the musculoskeletal consequence, not the neurological cause.

03Can M62.3 be used for a patient who is immobilized post-surgically but not paraplegic?

The parenthetical descriptor says 'paraplegic,' and the tabular context is prolonged immobility causing musculoskeletal deterioration. Clinically, some coders apply it broadly to severe acquired immobility; however, if the patient's immobility is post-surgical and temporary, a more specific sequela or complication code is usually more defensible.

04Does M62.3 support home health physical therapy authorization?

Yes. CMS LCD A57311 (Billing and Coding: Physical Therapy — Home Health) explicitly lists M62.3 in Group 1 as a diagnosis that supports medical necessity for home health PT services.

05What MS-DRG does M62.3 map to?

Under MS-DRG v43.0, M62.3 groups to DRG 557 (Tendonitis, Myositis and Bursitis with MCC) or DRG 558 (without MCC). Ensure your documentation reflects the soft-tissue disorder severity consistent with this grouping.

06Is arthrogryposis coded with M62.3?

Arthrogryposis is listed as an approximate synonym under M62.3, but congenital arthrogryposis multiplex should be coded Q74.3. Use M62.3 when the arthrogryposis or joint stiffness is acquired in the context of paraplegia or prolonged immobility, not congenital.

07Does M62.3 require a 7th character?

No. M62.3 is a 4-character M-code and does not take a 7th-character extension. It has no site-specific subcodes, unlike adjacent codes such as M62.4x (contracture of muscle), which are expanded by site and laterality.

Sources & references

Editorial content was developed using the following public sources. Last verified May 8, 2026.

Mira Scribe

The Mira AI Scribe captures the documented cause of immobility (paraplegia, spinal cord injury level, or equivalent prolonged non-weight-bearing), objective musculoskeletal findings (atrophy, ROM deficits, contracture), and functional status — preventing a vague encounter note that forces a drop to an unspecified or incorrect code and triggering the secondary diagnosis linkage needed to support physical therapy or home health authorization.

See how Mira captures M62.3 documentation