Will I Receive SSDI Disability or SSI for Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis or degenerative arthritis can start off manageable before progressing to an extreme stiffness in the joints. Exacerbated by excess pounds or pressure on the job, osteoarthritis can significantly impair normal movement and flexibility at work. Normal arthritis isn’t always approved for SSDI as a judge may be more likely to declare an applicant capable of sedentary work. However, osteoarthritis can affect all joints in the body, including elbows, wrists, and knees.

How Will I Be Evaluated for Benefits?

Osteoarthritis Social Security will evaluate each person specifically on the basis on osteoarthritis but instead on the general impairment listings for Social Security. If you’re evaluated under the back problems criteria, you may be asked to qualify your ability to sit for long periods of time, stand without pain, or bend and stoop when needed. For other joint problems, Disability Insurance will confirm if you have general pain holding or exerting force (e.g., pushing and pulling) on objects. Most jobs require some degree of physical labor, even in the case of office work. Officials will take this into consideration before making their decision.

What Does SSDI Disability Want to See?

Acceptable diagnoses include:

• Spinal osteoarthritis: If the nerve root limits motion, the spinal canal makes it difficult to walk, or your arachnid membrane is severely inflamed.
• Joint: You need at least one joint in the hips, knees, or ankle to be considered, or one joint in the shoulder, wrist, or elbow of both arms.
• Extremity arthritis: Lower extremity arthritis below the waist will normally qualify you for sedentary work. Upper extremity may disqualify you for the vast majority of jobs.

Residual functional capacity (RFC) is the formal term for how the Social Security Administration will determine your eligibility for Disability Insurance. Officials will assess a person’s ability to maintain gainful employment, potentially limiting an applicant’s job search options to those that do not require lifting heavy objects or walking long distances. Still, even sedentary work may require some degree of movement, which may not be realistic based on the severity of the person’s osteoarthritis.