M24.59 captures joint contracture at a site that doesn't map to any of the eight named-site subcategories in the M24.5x series — use it when the affected joint is documented but falls outside shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, hip, knee, or ankle/foot.

Verified May 8, 2026 · 5 sources ↓

Status: Billable
Chapter: 13
Related CPT: 6
Region: Other

Drawn from CDCICD10DataCMSAAPCFindacode

Documentation tips

What should appear in the chart to support M24.59.

Source · Editorial brief grounded in 5 cited references ↓

Name the specific joint involved — 'sternoclavicular joint contracture' or 'acromioclavicular joint contracture' — so auditors can confirm the site doesn't belong in a more specific M24.5x subcode.
Document the type of contracture (capsular, fibrous, post-surgical adhesion) and the degree of passive ROM restriction; this supports medical necessity for physical therapy and manual procedures.
Record the etiology or contributing condition (e.g., post-immobilization, post-surgical, inflammatory arthropathy) to establish clinical context and support sequencing decisions.
If imaging was obtained, note relevant findings (joint space changes, periarticular calcification, adhesive changes) to substantiate the contracture diagnosis.
Document any prior conservative treatment — stretching, PT, splinting — if the record is supporting a surgical or procedural intervention.
Distinguish clearly between contracture of the joint capsule (M24.59) versus contracture of surrounding muscle or tendon without joint involvement (M62.4-) to justify this code over the alternatives.

Related CPT procedures

Procedure codes commonly billed with M24.59. 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.

97140 $27.72

Skilled, hands-on manual therapy techniques — including joint mobilization/manipulation, manual lymphatic drainage, and manual traction — applied to one or more body regions, billed per 15-minute unit.

97530 View procedure details

97012 View procedure details

97035 View procedure details

29999 View procedure details

Common coding pitfalls

The recurring mistakes coders make with M24.59 and adjacent codes.

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

Defaulting to M24.59 for shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, hip, knee, or ankle/foot contractures — each of those sites has its own laterality-specific subcode (M24.51–M24.57) that must be used instead.
Using M24.59 when Dupuytren's contracture is the documented diagnosis — Dupuytren's maps exclusively to M72.0, not to M24.5x.
Coding M24.59 for contracture of muscle or tendon without documented joint involvement — that presentation belongs in M62.4-, not the joint contracture category.
Applying M24.59 to temporomandibular joint contracture — TMJ disorders are explicitly excluded from M24 and must be coded with M26.6-.
Dropping to M24.50 (unspecified joint) when the joint is actually documented — if the provider names the joint, M24.59 is required; M24.50 is only appropriate when the joint is genuinely unspecified.
Missing that spine joint contractures route to M40–M54, not M24.59; the M20–M25 range explicitly excludes joints of the spine.

Clinical context

Source · Editorial summary grounded in 5 cited references ↓

M24.59 is the residual 'other specified' code under M24.5 (Contracture of joint). It applies when a provider documents a true joint contracture — pathological limitation of passive range of motion due to capsular, periarticular, or intra-articular changes — at a joint not covered by the laterality-specific subcodes M24.51–M24.57. Clinically relevant examples include contracture of the sternoclavicular joint, acromioclavicular joint, sacroiliac joint (when not better coded elsewhere), temporomandibular joint (excluded — use M26.6-), or less commonly affected small joints not otherwise specified.

Before landing on M24.59, confirm the joint involved does not have a more specific home. The M24.5 family covers shoulder (M24.51), elbow (M24.52), wrist (M24.53), hand (M24.54), hip (M24.55), knee (M24.56), and ankle/foot (M24.57). If the joint maps to any of those, use the appropriate laterality-specific code instead. M24.59 is correct only for joints outside that list where a contracture is the primary finding.

Key excludes to check: contracture of muscle or tendon without joint involvement codes to M62.4-, not M24.59. Dupuytren's contracture goes to M72.0. Acquired limb deformities are captured under M20–M21. Spine joint disorders route to M40–M54. If the contracture follows a current injury, code the acute injury first; M24.59 is appropriate for chronic or established contracture, not an acute traumatic finding.

Sibling codes

Other billable codes under M24.5 (laterality / anatomic variants).

M24.50

Contracture, unspecified joint

Frequently asked questions

Source · Generated from the editorial pipeline, verified against 5 cited references ↓

01Which joints actually belong under M24.59 versus M24.50?

Use M24.59 when the provider documents a specific joint that falls outside the eight named-site subcategories (shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, hip, knee, ankle/foot). M24.50 is for genuinely unspecified joint contracture — meaning the joint is not named anywhere in the documentation.

02Can M24.59 be used for a contracture that developed after surgery?

Yes. Post-surgical joint contracture at an 'other specified' site codes to M24.59. Add a code for the surgical history or underlying condition if it clarifies the clinical picture. M24.59 does not carry a 7th-character extension — it is an M-code, not an injury S-code.

03Is M24.59 appropriate for a sacroiliac joint contracture?

It depends. Sacroiliac joint disorders often route to M53.3 (sacrococcygeal disorders) or other spine-range codes, since M20–M25 excludes joints of the spine. Review the documentation carefully; if the provider specifically documents a contracture diagnosis and the SI joint is not being classified under the spine guidelines, M24.59 may apply, but verify against payer policy.

04What is the difference between M24.59 and M62.4-?

M24.59 is for contracture of the joint itself — the capsule, periarticular structures, or intra-articular adhesion causing passive ROM restriction. M62.4- covers contracture of muscle or tendon without accompanying joint contracture. The clinical exam and provider documentation must distinguish which structure is the primary driver.

05Does M24.59 require a laterality modifier?

No. M24.59 does not have laterality-specific child codes in the FY2026 tabular — unlike M24.51–M24.57, which subdivide by right, left, and in some cases bilateral. Document the affected side in the clinical note, but M24.59 is the only available billable code for this 'other specified' site.

06Which MS-DRGs does M24.59 group into?

Under MS-DRG v43.0, M24.59 groups to 564 (Other musculoskeletal system and connective tissue diagnoses with MCC), 565 (with CC), or 566 (without CC/MCC), depending on the complexity of the encounter.

07When was M24.59 added to the ICD-10-CM code set?

M24.59 became effective October 1, 2020 (FY2021). It has remained unchanged through the FY2026 code set effective October 1, 2025.

Sources & references

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

Mira AI Scribe

Mira's AI scribe captures the specific joint name, the direction and degree of passive ROM restriction, the suspected etiology (post-surgical, inflammatory, immobilization), and any imaging or physical exam findings that confirm capsular or periarticular involvement. That documentation prevents downgrade to M24.50 (unspecified joint), blocks a mismatch with M62.4- (muscle/tendon contracture), and satisfies medical necessity requirements for PT or procedural intervention.

See how Mira captures M24.59 documentation