Can You Get Disability for Arthritis

In order to qualify for Social Security Disability with arthritis, you must meet the basic disability requirements set by the Social Security Administration (SSA).

In order to receive disability benefits, you must have a condition which prevents you from performing any available work. Additionally, the condition must be expected to last at least one year from the time of onset.

Those with arthritis applying for SSDI, will need to meet the Blue Book listing 14.09. You will need to provide medical documentation supporting that you meet the SSA listing for inflammatory arthritis. In addition, you will need to meet be within specific financial limitations.

Those with arthritis may qualify for Social Security disability benefits. Learn how to qualify.

Different Areas Where You Can Get Arthritis

Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints, the tissue around the joints and surrounding tissues. Since there are joints all over the body, it’s possible to get arthritis in many locations even though it’s most common in the hands, knees and back.

Over time, the cartilage in joints will break down, which leads to inflammation and arthritis. That’s why the condition is so common in hands and knees since those are two areas that are used all the time.

Arthritis can also be caused by injury, such as an old sports injury or a repetitive motion injury. The latter is one of the reasons arthritis can make doing work so difficult. Imagine working in a factory that requires you to pull levers or assemble parts.

Arthritis in the hands would make this work difficult, and so some people find themselves unable to perform their jobs and must seek out assistance.

You can file a claim for Social Security disability benefits with arthritis. You will need to demonstrate that your condition makes you unable to perform the requirements of your job, which is why collecting medical evidence is the most important part of your application.

Further Reading: What Conditions Qualify For Disability?

Is Arthritis A Disability?

Arthritis is considered a disability by the SSA, as it is the most common work-related disability. If you suffer from arthritis that is so severe you are going to be unable to work for at least 12 months and you meet the work requirements as well, the SSA will deem you disabled and you will be able to earn disability benefits. There are many conditions that qualify for disability benefits and arthritis is one of them.

There are listings in the Blue Book that apply to arthritis, and if your condition meets those criteria, then your claim would be approved.

Any of these forms of arthritis can limit your ability to perform routine daily tasks as well as work and earn a living. The SSA looks at the different kinds of arthritis differently.

There are some ways your disability claim for arthritis can be automatically approved. One of those is if you have joint dysfunction, such as a misalignment, shortening of the joint, or chronic pain or stiffness.

Another way would be if you had proof that you had undergone surgery on a weight-bearing joint, such as a knee or a hip and you will be unable to walk effectively for at least a year.

Another way to have a claim approved is if you have arthritis of the spine and the same is true if you have inflammatory arthritis.

You must have medical evidence to support your claim and to confirm that your arthritis is severe enough to keep you from working.

How the SSA Determines Disability with Arthritis

In the case of arthritis, you must receive medical treatment for at least three months before the SSA will make a determination regarding the extent and severity of your condition and whether or not it qualifies you for Social Security Disability benefits.

No matter where you develop arthritis, whether in your hands, feet, knees or back, if you have medical evidence to support your claim, you may be eligible for disability benefits. You will also need to meet financial requirements to qualify for disability benefits.

Follow the steps below to find out if you qualify for Social Security disability benefits due to your arthritis.

Steps to Take In Order to Qualify

To determine whether a person qualifies for Social Security Disability because of arthritis, the SSA uses the following steps:

Financial Requirements

The SSA first determines whether you are currently working. If you are gainfully employed (in 2024, gainfully employed is defined as earning $1,550 per month), you will be disqualified for Social Security Disability based on your demonstrated ability to perform substantial gainful activity.

To qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), you will need to have enough work credits. These are earned by working and paying Social Security taxes. Typically, if you have worked five of the last ten years, you will have enough work credits. Depending on your age, there are a specific number of credits you must have to qualify for SSDI.

If you do not have enough work credits, but your income and assets are limited, you may be eligible for Supplement Security Income (SSI). SSI is meant for those of extreme financial need, so you must have less than $2,000 in assets (or less than $3,000 in assets if married). SSI is based on household income, so your spouse’s income will be considered when the SSA is determining if you are financially eligible.

Further Reading: What Is SSI?

Those with arthritis may qualify for Social Security disability benefits. Learn how to qualify.
Medical Requirements For Disability Benefits With Arthritis

The SSA determines whether your arthritis is severe enough to hinder you from performing physical activities commonly required for working. These activities may include such things as:

sitting or standing
kneeling or walking
lifting and use of fine motor skills

Depending on which activities your arthritis hinders you from performing, you may be deemed capable of heavy, medium, light, or sedentary work. In some cases, those who are approaching retirement age may qualify for Social Security Disability benefits even if they are deemed capable of sedentary work if they lack the qualifications listed in the Blue Book to perform the sedentary work which is available.

The SSA determines if your arthritis meets their medical criteria. To meet the disability criteria to qualify for benefits, an arthritic person must have swelling and pain, and his or her joint movement must be limited or painful.

You will need to meet the SSA’s Blue Book listing 14.09 Inflammatory arthritis in order to qualify for benefits with arthritis. According to this listing, to qualify for disability you will need to be experiencing:

Persistent inflammation or persistent deformity of one or more major peripheral weight-bearing joints resulting in the inability to ambulate effectively or one or more peripheral joints in each upper extremity resulting in the inability to perform fine and gross movements effectively

Inflammation or deformity in one or more peripheral joints with involvement of two or more body systems or organs with one of the organs or body systems involved in at least a moderate level of severity and at least two constitutional symptoms or sings (such as fatigue or fever).

Ankylosing spondylitis

Repeated manifestations of inflammatory arthritis with at least two constitutional symptoms (such as limitations of daily activities or maintaining social functioning).
This Blue Book listing can be used to evaluate different forms of arthritis, such as psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis as well as a variety of other disabling conditions.

If a person is not deemed medically qualified for Social Security disability based on observable symptoms, the SSA will consider whether you can reasonably be expected to perform any type of work which you have done in the past.

If the SSA determines that you are unable to perform any work which you have performed previously, they will consider your age, your level of education, your previous experience, and your overall mental and physical health to determine whether you could reasonably be trained to do any other kind of available work. If, in their estimation, you can be trained to do some form of work, you will be denied Social Security Disability benefits.

Disability Benefits for Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis is a type of arthritis that can become so painful that it can actually affect one’s ability to continue working. Psoriatic arthritis is a condition that typically develops in people who have been suffering from psoriasis for a considerable amount of time.

Psoriasis itself results from the inflammation of parts of the skin, such as on the hands or fingers. Psoriatic arthritis develops when the psoriasis has become so pronounced that it causes inflammation of the joints, particularly the points where tendons and ligaments are connected to bones.

Because of the pain resulting from psoriatic arthritis, continued employment may be impossible. One’s working ability with psoriatic arthritis usually depends on where the arthritis occurs.

Arthritis in the fingers and hands, for example, will have a serious effect on people who handle anything with their hands in their jobs—even those who operate a computer keyboard. Sufferers who are unable to keep working for at least the next 12 months, despite any treatment, may qualify for disability benefits for psoriatic arthritis.

The criteria for determining eligibility for disability benefits for psoriatic arthritis include:

how symptoms match the description for arthritis in the SSA’s Blue Book listing 14.09;
whether the medical evidence can demonstrate a deteriorating condition likely to prevent gainful employment for at least the next 12 months;
sufficient previous work history to accumulate the number of work credits determined by the SSA; this is the social security disability benefits (SSDI) pathway; or
income and assets less than the amounts determined by the SSA which is the supplemental security income (SSI) pathway.

Can You Get Disability In Your Feet?

If you have problems with your feet that make it impossible for you to work you can get disability benefits. But, you must have a diagnosed medical condition that is listed in the SSA’s Blue Book and you must submit medical evidence showing that your condition meets all of the Blue Book listing requirements in order to qualify for disability benefits.

You can qualify either with a direct injury or ailment to your foot or if you have problems with your feet because of another medical condition. For example, if you have neuropathy in your feet because of diabetes you can get disability benefits if you meet all the listing requirements for diabetes.

Can You Get Disability In Your Hands?

If you have a medical condition that makes it impossible to use your hands effectively and you can’t work you can qualify for Social Security disability benefits. Common conditions that impact the use of the hands like arthritis are listed in the SSA’s Blue Book. As long as you can show medical evidence that you meet the Blue Book requirements or you have an RFC describing why exactly you can’t work you may be approved for disability benefits.

Can You Get Disability In Your Hips?

If you have had a hip replacement or you have a condition that affects your hips you may qualify for disability benefits. You will have to submit medical evidence showing that you have a medical condition that is listed in the Blue Book and that you meet the requirements in the Blue Book for that condition.

Medical Evidence to Support Your Claim

The Social Security Administration is tasked with processing your application. They use the guidelines in the Blue Book to determine your eligibility to receive disability benefits, and that’s why the evidence you provide is so very important.

Each case is different, but the guidelines provide a baseline to determine eligibility and the information you provide helps to paint a picture of your unique situation.

The most important piece of evidence you can provide is a report of your diagnosis from your doctor. This includes:

the diagnosis itself
results of blood or lab tests
imaging such as x-rays or CT scans
and any other information used to make the diagnosis.

You should also include your treatment plan, including:

medications prescribed
physical therapy information
report of how the treatment is working
any side effects you’re having to medications (this can play a role in the decision)

Be sure to provide a list of all of the doctors who have treated you, along with where you received treatment. This is important in case the SSA needs to reach out with questions.

It’s important to include as much information as possible so that the SSA can make their determination without having to request additional information. The more information you provide, the easier it is for them to make a decision.

Those with arthritis may qualify for Social Security disability benefits. Learn how to qualify.

Qualifying With Arthritis Using a Medical-Vocational Allowance

In some cases, an applicant might be able to qualify for Social Security disability benefits using a medical-vocational allowance. The medical-vocational allowance comes into play when someone files for Social Security disability benefits with a condition that doesn’t completely prevent him or her from working, but it does have the potential to limit the ability to work.

Some of the considerations used to determine whether a medical-vocational allowance is appropriate include residual function capacity (RFC), age, education and past work experience.

The Social Security Administration evaluates claims based on an applicant’s extertional and nonexertional limitations and whether they prevent the applicant from completing his or her job.

Your residual function capacity is the maximum amount of work that you are able to perform as a result of your condition as determined by the SSA. Each person’s RFC is different and this is what makes your medical documentation so important.

Nonexertional demands of work include mental ability, posture and balance, use of hands (manipulative), visual, ability to communicate orally and aurally, and environmental.
Exertional demands of work include movements, including walking, standing, sitting, lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling.

Essentially, the SSA will consider whether an applicant’s arthritis is impacted by the exertional and nonexertional demands of the job. If there is a reason that arthritis will prevent a person from doing his or her job, then a medical-vocational allowance will be considered.

As an example, consider an occupational therapist who uses her hands to work with her patients. On a daily basis she massages muscles, strains and sprains in order to help her patients recover. Upon developing arthritis in her hands, she is no longer able to push on or manipulate stiff muscles, which is a core function of her job.

There are no ways to accommodate or work around the requirements of her job. As a result of her arthritis, she is unable to work. This would be a prime case of a medical-vocational allowance, as her arthritis does not make her disabled by definition but it does prevent her from performing her job.

When it comes to receiving Social Security disability benefits, making sure that you have the proper medical documentation is the most important.

Qualifying with Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a severe, degenerative type of arthritis that makes it difficult or impossible for patients to engage in excessive physical exercise or work. People with osteoarthritis are often expected to stop working because their disease has become too debilitating and restricting.

If your osteoarthritis is making it impossible for you to work, you could be eligible for Social Security Disability payments. You could be qualified if you have been employed long enough and paid taxes. People with degenerative osteoarthritis meet the criteria whether they have severe difficulties when using their hands and arms, as well as when standing or walking.

The Next Steps to Take

Statistically, your best chance of having a Social Security Disability case approved because of arthritis comes during your hearing before an Administrative Law Judge.

During this hearing, you will be allowed to have representation, and will also be allowed to make your case in person regarding why your arthritic condition keeps you from being able to work. You will also be allowed to bring witnesses who can testify on your behalf regarding the effects your condition has had on your ability to work.

Consult with a Social Security Attorney

If the SSA determines that your arthritis precludes you from performing any kind of available work, they will approve your claim and you will begin receiving social Security Disability benefits. It is worth noting that most initial claims are denied.

If your claim is denied, you should consider consulting a Social Security Disability attorney (if you’re not already working with one) regarding the best way to go about the appeals process.

Many Social Security Disability claims which are initially denied are later approved in the appeals process. While you are allowed to represent yourself at all stages of the process, you are much more likely to win your case if you are represented by a disability lawyer.

How to Qualify for Disability with Arthritis (Updated for 2024)