Strain of muscle, fascia and tendon of lower back, sequela

This code signifies a chronic or residual condition resulting from a previous strain injury to the muscles, fascia, or tendons of the lower back. It indicates that the initial acute injury has resolved, but the patient continues to experience lasting effects such as pain, weakness, or functional limitations directly attributable to that past strain.

Apply this code when documenting a patient presenting with ongoing symptoms from a lower back muscle, fascia, or tendon strain that occurred in the past and is no longer in the acute phase of healing. This is appropriate for follow-up visits addressing persistent issues related to a previously diagnosed lower back strain.

• Always use this code as a secondary diagnosis, following a code for the specific chronic condition or symptom being treated (e.g., chronic low back pain).
• Ensure documentation clearly links the current symptoms to a past lower back strain and indicates the "sequela" nature of the condition.
• Do not use for acute or subacute strains; those require different codes indicating the initial encounter or subsequent encounter for the acute injury.