Radiology Coding Alert

Question: What is the appropriate ICD-9 code for golfer's elbow?

South Carolina Subscriber

Answer: The ICD-9 2010 index points you to 726.32 (Enthesopathy of elbow region, lateral epicondylitis) for golfer's elbow. But some providers also may use the term to refer to medial epicondylitis issues (726.31, Enthesopathy of elbow region, medial epicondylitis). So check your documentation for the precise anatomic location before settling on a code.

Note that tennis elbow, a more familiar term, refers to lateral epicondylitis (726.32). Other injuries that might hinder an athlete's game are medial epicondylitis (726.31), enthesopathy of elbow (726.30, ... unspecified), and olecranon bursitis (726.33, ... olecranon bursitis). All of these "enthesopathies" refer to disorders of peripheral ligamentous or muscular attachments.