Abnormal posture. R29.3 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes. The 2020 edition of ICD-10-CM R29.3 became effective on October 1, 2019.
Synonymous terms for decerebrate posturing include abnormal extension, decerebrate rigidity, extensor posturing, or decerebrate response. [2]
Pathophysiology Typically, the anatomical divide associated with decorticate and decerebrate posturing is the intercollicular line at the level of the red nucleus. However, this concept has been criticized as lesions in the supratentorial region can also cause both decorticate and decerebrate posturing, though the brainstem is typically involved.
Though decerebrate posturing implies a destructive structural lesion, it can also be caused by reversible metabolic disturbances such as hypoglycemia and hepatic encephalopathy. [1] Through animal models and human studies, it has been shown that the vestibulospinal tract plays a major role in decerebrate posturing.
R29.3ICD-10-CM Code for Abnormal posture R29. 3.
ICD-10 code Z74. 09 for Other reduced mobility is a medical classification as listed by WHO under the range - Factors influencing health status and contact with health services .
6: Pain in thoracic spine.
ICD-10 code R68. 89 for Other general symptoms and signs is a medical classification as listed by WHO under the range - Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified .
The code Z74. 09 describes a circumstance which influences the patient's health status but not a current illness or injury. The code is unacceptable as a principal diagnosis.
E66. 01 is morbid (severe) obesity from excess calories.
The current code, M54. 5 (Low back pain), will be expanded into three more specific codes: M54. 50 (Low back pain, unspecified)
S39. 012, Low back strain. M51.
ICD-Code M54. 5 is a billable ICD-10 code used for healthcare diagnosis reimbursement of chronic low back pain. Its corresponding ICD-9 code is 724.2.
ICD-10 Code for Other symptoms and signs involving cognitive functions and awareness- R41. 89- Codify by AAPC. Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified. Symptoms and signs involving cognition, perception, emotional state and behavior.
R79. 89 - Other specified abnormal findings of blood chemistry | ICD-10-CM.
R68. 89 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes. The 2022 edition of ICD-10-CM R68. 89 became effective on October 1, 2021.
The 2022 edition of ICD-10-CM Z98.89 became effective on October 1, 2021.
Z77-Z99 Persons with potential health hazards related to family and personal history and certain conditions influencing health status
Decerebrate posturing is described as adduction and internal rotation of the shoulder, extension at the elbows with pronation of the forearm, and flexion of the fingers. As with decorticate posturing, the lower limbs show extension and internal rotation at the hip, with the extension of the knee and plantar flexion of the feet. Toes are typically abducted and hyperextended.[1] Teasdale and Jennett advocated not using the term 'decerebrate' in the assessment of coma due to its association with a specific physioanatomical correlation, but to rather use the term 'extension.' [10]
The Nobel Laurette Charles Sherrington first described decerebrate posturing in 1898 after transecting the brainstems of live monkeys and cats.[2] Decorticate and decerebrate posturing are both considered pathological posturing responses to usually noxious stimuli from an external or internal source. Both involve stereotypical movements of the ...
The mechanism for decorticate posturing is not as well studied as that of decerebrate. Phylogenetically, the region of the red nucleus within the midbrain plays a significant part in locomotion. In primates, the rubrospinal tract influences primitive grasp reflexes, particularly in infants and is, incidentally, responsible for crawling.[9] The rubrospinal tract carries signals from the red nucleus to the spinal motor neurons. Primates are reliant on fine motor skills, and therefore the motor cortex via the corticospinal tracts is more prominent in movement than phylogenetically lower regions. Extensive lesions involving the forebrain, diencephalon, or rostral midbrain are known to cause decorticate posturing. This includes the motor cortex, premotor cortex, corona radiata, internal capsule, and thalamus. [3][1] In primates, the rubrospinal tract descends as far as the thoracic spine, it, therefore, has effects on the upper limbs but not lower. The red nucleus, via the rubrospinal tract, causes a flexion, grasping type reflex of the upper limbs. The higher brain centers, such as the cerebral cortex, inhibit this reflex during normal physiology. With a lesion of the corticospinal tract, the red nucleus is disinhibited, and the flexion reflex of the upper limbs is unimpeded. The vestibulospinal tracts, as discussed above, are also left disinhibited, and extension of the lower limbs occurs. This flexion of the upper limbs and extension of lower limbs is decorticate posturing. [3]
Through animal models and human studies, it has been shown that the vestibulospinal tract plays a major role in decerebrate posturing. The vestibulospinal pathways have an excitatory effect on extensor motor neurons in the spine, while inhibition of flexor motor neurons. The vestibular nuclei receive input from the vestibular apparatus and spinal somatosensory pathways while receiving modulatory signals from the cerebral cortex and the fastigial nucleus of the cerebellum. In isolation, the vestibular nucleus, via the vestibulospinal tract, causes activation of extensor motor neurons in the spinal cord and inhibition of flexor motor neurons. However, under normal physiology, the higher brain centers of the cortex and cerebellum inhibit the vestibular nuclei, thus preventing this reflex. Decerebrate posturing results from a disconnection between the modulatory higher centers and the vestibular nuclei, resulting in unsuppressed extensor posturing. [8]
Typically, the anatomical divide associated with decorticate and decerebrate posturing is the intercollicular line at the level of the red nucleus. However, this concept has been criticized as lesions in the supratentorial region can also cause both decorticate and decerebrate posturing, though the brainstem is typically involved. [1]
Abnormal posturing is an ominous sign, with only 37% of decorticate patients surviving following head injury and only 10% in decerebrate. [1][14] Overall, children requiring admission to hospital due to head injury have a mortality of 10% to 13%; however, in severe cases with decerebrate posturing, the mortality is 71%.[17] Other studies have shown similar mortality rates of 68% to 83% in TBI with decerebrate posturing. [11][18][12] Factors that favored survival in TBI with decerebrate posturing included younger patient age, admission within 6 hours of injury, and extradural hematoma. Poorer outcomes were found in acute subdural hematoma and older age. [11]
There are numerous causes of abnormal posturing including supratentorial and infratentorial lesions, alongside more diffuse pathologies such as metabolic and infective causes: [4][1]
M62.89 is in Other specified disorders of muscle , and could be a catch all (which means it’s more likely to be scrutinized). StrongPosture® is a systematized posture rehab protocol. Purchase the StrongPosture Program and take the latest training as an online course or hands-on seminar.
So for low back pain, M54.5 in ICD-10 (what was 724.2 in ICD-9) describes the symptom and can be a diagnosis. If there’s a lower cross syndrome, you know muscle and stress patterns to address passively (SMT and MT) as well as actively with StrongPosture® exercise. But Lower Cross is not a diagnosis. However, it’s a posture observation and can be a contributing component of a more definitive diagnosis. Even though it’s not coded, it should be documented properly so that when necessary you can try to justify longer term treatment.
These are real bio-mechanic issues that respond well to care, but for all ICD-10’s specificity, there aren’t good ICD-10 diagnosis for posture conditions.
But Lower Cross is not a diagnosis. However, it’s a posture observation and can be a contributing component of a more definitive diagnosis. Even though it’s not coded, it should be documented properly so that when necessary you can try to justify longer term treatment.
On the other hand, you can roughly address posture as a somatic dysfunction, and support that with upper or lower cross as an observation: