Open wound of the lower leg
Also known as: Open wound of knee or lower leg, unspecified
General information only. Anpheros does not diagnose and does not recommend treatment. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist about your situation. In an emergency, call 112 (or your local emergency number).
In short
Knee problems occur when the bone, cartilage, ligaments, fluid, muscles, or tendons of the knee joint are hurt or diseased. These problems can cause pain and difficulty walking, and they can interfere with activities ranging from sports to getting up from a chair. The most common disease affecting the knee is osteoarthritis, which gradually wears away cartilage, while injuries to ligaments and tendons, such as a sudden twisting injury to the anterior cruciate ligament, also cause knee problems.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine.
AI-generated summary of the sources cited on this page, checked automatically against them. Not reviewed by a clinician; not medical advice.
Codes
Description
Your knee joint is made up of bone, cartilage, ligaments and fluid. Muscles and tendons help the knee joint move. When any of these structures is hurt or diseased, you have knee problems. Knee problems can cause pain and difficulty walking.
Knee problems are very common, and they occur in people of all ages. Knee problems can interfere with many things, from participation in sports to simply getting up from a chair and walking. This can have a big impact on your life.
The most common disease affecting the knee is osteoarthritis. The cartilage in the knee gradually wears away, causing pain and swelling.
Injuries to ligaments and tendons also cause knee problems. A common injury is to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). You usually injure your ACL by a sudden twisting motion. ACL and other knee injuries are common sports injuries.
Treatment of knee problems depends on the cause. In some cases your doctor may recommend knee replacement.
NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
Next to it in ICD-10
- S66Muscle and tendon injury at wrist and hand level
- S67Crush injury of the wrist and hand
- S69Other wrist and hand injuries
- S92Foot fracture (not ankle)
- S96Muscle and tendon injury at ankle and foot level
- S98Traumatic amputation of the ankle and foot
Neighbouring codes in the classification, not a medical link.
External resources
Questions
What is the ICD-10 code for Open wound of the lower leg?
S81 (WHO, International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision).
What is the ICD-11 code for Open wound of the lower leg?
NC91.Z: Open wound of knee or lower leg, unspecified (WHO, ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics).
Sources and attribution
- ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics, © World Health Organization, licensed under CC BY-ND 3.0 IGO.
- Names other than the official source titles: Anpheros translations and plain-language names, made with AI assistance and checked automatically; the source names are in English.
- Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine.
- ICD-10 codes and titles © World Health Organization. Source: WHO, International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (2019).
Anpheros Search catalog 2026.10.5, published 17 October 2026. About the data →
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