M25.3 ICD-10-CA subcategory: Other instability of joint
M25.3 isn’t a code on its own. Choose one of the 10 codes beneath it, the one the documentation supports.
Official description
M25.3Other instability of joint
ICD-10-CA · Canada · Also written M253
Codes in M25.3
M25.3 isn’t a code on its own. Open the code that matches what the note documents.
M25.30Other instability of joint, multiple sitesM25.31Other instability of joint, shoulder regionM25.32Other instability of joint, upper armM25.33Other instability of joint, forearmM25.34Other instability of joint, handM25.35Other instability of joint, pelvic region and thighM25.36Other instability of joint, lower legM25.37Other instability of joint, ankle and footM25.38Other instability of joint, other siteM25.39Other instability of joint, unspecified siteNotes for M25.3
As CIHI prints them, with any note M25.3 takes from the headings above it.
Includes
- Disorders affecting predominantly peripheral (limb) jointsFrom M00-M25 Arthropathies
Excludes
Conditions classified elsewhere.
- Instability of joint secondary to:• old ligament injury (M24.2)• removal of joint prosthesis (M96.8)
- Abnormality of gait and mobility (R26.-)calcification of:• bursa (M71.4)• shoulder (joint) (M75.3)• tendon (M65.2)deformities classified to M20-M21difficulty in walking (R26.2)From M25 Other joint disorders, not elsewhere classified
- Joints of the spine (M40-M54)From M20-M25 Other joint disorders
- Certain:• conditions originating in the perinatal period (P00-P96)• disorders of the temporomandibular joint (K07.6)• infectious and parasitic diseases (A00-B99)compartment syndrome (T79.6)complications of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (O00-O99)congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities (Q00-Q99)endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (E00-E90)injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (S00-T98)neoplasms (C00-D48)symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (R00-R99)From Chapter 13: Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99)
Note
- [To review the anatomical site captured in the 5th character subclassification see Chapter XIII]
- The following fifth characters represent the following sites of involvement:0 Multiple sites1 Shoulder region: clavical , scapula — joint acromioclavicular, glenohumeral, sternoclavicular2 Upper arm: humerus — elbow joint,3 Forearm: radius , ulna — wrist joint,4 Hand: carpus, fingers, metacarpus — joints between these bones,5 Pelvic region and thigh: buttock , femur , pelvis — joint hip , sacroiliac6 Lower leg: fibula , tibia — knee joint7 Ankle and foot: metatarsus, tarsus, toes — other joints in foot8 Other:head neck ribs skull trunk vertebral column9 Site unspecifiedFrom Chapter 13: Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99)
Where M25.3 sits
- 1ChapterChapter 13: Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99)
- 2Block M00-M25Arthropathies
- 3Block M20-M25Other joint disorders
- 4Category M25Other joint disorders, not elsewhere classified
- 5Subcategory M25.3Other instability of joint
Source and release
- Data release
- ICD-10-CA · FY 2026–2027
- Effective date
- Apr 1, 2026
- Publisher
- CIHI
This page is built from the ICD-10-CA catalog that Vero Codes reads when it suggests codes: Canadian Institute for Health Information’s FY 2026–2027 release, imported from the publisher’s file and checked against it. The description, notes and structured data come from the same record.
Frequently asked questions
Is M25.3 a valid ICD-10-CA code?
No. M25.3 (Other instability of joint) is a subcategory heading in CIHI’s ICD-10-CA FY 2026–2027 release. It holds 10 codes; record the one the documentation supports.
Where is M25.3 in ICD-10-CA?
M25.3 sits under M25 Other joint disorders, not elsewhere classified, within M20-M25 Other joint disorders, within M00-M25 Arthropathies, within Chapter 13: Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (M00-M99).
What coding notes apply to M25.3?
ICD-10-CA lists Note, Excludes, Includes notes for M25.3, including those from the headings it sits under. They are listed on this page with where each one comes from.
Which ICD-10-CA release does this page use?
It uses CIHI’s FY 2026–2027 release, in effect from Apr 1, 2026 to Mar 31, 2027. It is a reference: confirm the code against the current list and the payer’s rules before you submit it.