M48.4
Fatigue fracture of vertebra
Not billable — category only FY2026 2025-10-01 → 2026-09-30
Exclusions 15 never code together
M48.4code
Excludes1
- pathological fracture NOS (M84.4-)M84.4-M84.4-
- pathological fracture of vertebra due to neoplasm (M84.58)M84.58M84.58
- pathological fracture of vertebra due to other diagnosis (M84.68)M84.68M84.68
- pathological fracture of vertebra due to osteoporosis (M80.-)M80.-M80.-
- traumatic fracture of vertebrae (S12.0-S12.3-, S22.0-, S32.0-)S12.0-S12.3S12.0-S12.3S22.0-S22.0-S32.0-S32.0-
M00-M99chapter
Excludes2
- arthropathic psoriasis (L40.5-)L40.5-
- certain conditions originating in the perinatal period (P04-P96)P04-P96
- certain infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)A00-B99
- compartment syndrome (traumatic) (T79.A-)T79.A-
- complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O9A)O00-O9A
- congenital malformations, deformations, and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)Q00-Q99
- endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E88)E00-E88
- injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T88)S00-T88
- neoplasms (C00-D49)C00-D49
- symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R94)R00-R94
Excludes1 — never code together. The excluded condition and this one are mutually exclusive.
Excludes2 — not included here, but the patient may have both. Code both when documented.
7th character 4
A initial encounter for fracture
D subsequent encounter for fracture with routine healing
G subsequent encounter for fracture with delayed healing
S sequela of fracture
Instructional notes 2
Index entries leading here filed at null
No alphabetic index entry points at this code.
Alongside this code 7 same parent — M48
Subordinate codes 9
M48.40 Fatigue fracture of vertebra, site unspecified M48.41 Fatigue fracture of vertebra, occipito-atlanto-axial region M48.42 Fatigue fracture of vertebra, cervical region M48.43 Fatigue fracture of vertebra, cervicothoracic region M48.44 Fatigue fracture of vertebra, thoracic region M48.45 Fatigue fracture of vertebra, thoracolumbar region M48.46 Fatigue fracture of vertebra, lumbar region M48.47 Fatigue fracture of vertebra, lumbosacral region M48.48 Fatigue fracture of vertebra, sacr/sacrocygl region
Additional references
AHA Coding Clinic® Licence required
Official coding advice for this code. Published by the American Hospital Association. Not included in this installation.