Strain of muscle and tendon of unsp wall of thorax, init

This code signifies a non-traumatic injury to the muscle or tendon structures within the chest wall, where the specific location of the strain is not documented. It indicates an acute or initial presentation of this type of soft tissue injury.

This code is appropriate for patients presenting with chest wall pain attributed to a muscle or tendon strain, such as from coughing, heavy lifting, or an awkward movement, when the physician's documentation does not specify which particular muscle or tendon (e.g., intercostal, pectoral) is affected. It should be used for the first time a patient is seen for this specific injury.

• Ensure documentation clearly states "strain" and not a contusion or sprain.
• Only use this code if the specific muscle/tendon is truly unspecified; otherwise, a more precise code should be selected.
• The "A" at the end indicates an initial encounter; subsequent encounters will require different seventh characters.