Muscle and Ligament Disorders Covered by Social Security Disability

February 22, 2021
Dayes Law Firm

There are numerous musculoskeletal disorders that may qualify you for Social Security Disability (SSD), as long as your symptoms are serious enough and you have sufficient medical evidence to support your condition.

Dayes Law Firm has helped many claimants throughout Arizona obtain the disability benefits they need. Contact us to schedule a free initial consultation to learn whether you meet the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) requirements for a disability. We charge nothing up front for our services.

Common Muscle and Ligament Disorders

The SSA will evaluate how your musculoskeletal disorder impacts your ability to walk, sit, stand, lift, push and/or pull items. Your ability to concentrate, perform fine motor skills and achieve other standard work tasks will also be taken into consideration.

Disorders of the musculoskeletal system often covered by Social Security Disability include:

  • Amputations – The loss of two limbs will generally qualify you for disability benefits, while the amputation of one limb may make you eligible for disability in only certain cases. You will need to show that a prosthetic device cannot be used to help you walk effectively or work again.
  • Fractures – Qualifying for disability benefits for a broken or fractured limb is difficult because the healing process is typically less than a year. However, if your fracture does not heal properly or will take longer to heal – affecting your ability to work – you may be eligible for disability.
  • Joints – Joint pain in the wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, etc. must be fairly severe and chronic to make it difficult to perform work tasks or other daily activities. The SSA will need to determine if you can continue working with reasonable accommodations.
  • Spine injuries – Osteoarthritis, herniated disks and fractured vertebrae are spinal cord injuries that may qualify you for disability benefits if it affects your ability to move, perform standard work tasks, sit, stand or concentrate.

Some specific conditions that may qualify a claimant for SSD benefits under this listing are:

  • Back pain
  • Bone spurs
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Degenerative disc disease
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Fracture of the upper extremity
  • Gout
  • Herniated disc
  • Inflammatory arthritis
  • Major dysfunction of a joint
  • Muscular dystrophy
  • Neck pain
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Shoulder pain
  • Soft tissue injury (burns)
  • Torn ACL
  • Whiplash

Qualifying for SSD with Muscle or Ligament Problems

To apply for disability benefits due to a muscle or ligament disorder, the SSA will need to examine how extensive your condition affects your ability to perform meaningful work.

This will include providing sufficient medical evidence. Medical care, including doctor visits and medical imaging (X-ray, CT-scan, MRI, etc.) may help to serve as proof of your condition. Depending on your musculoskeletal disorder, this may also involve a number of other physical tests.  

For instance, if you have a spinal disorder that affects your lower back, you will need to show evidence of nerve root compression, loss of sensory or reflexes and a positive straight leg raise (SLR) test.

A licensed doctor treating your disorder will conduct the diagnostic tests that apply to your condition, treat your disorder as well as prepare your medical records and reports to include in your claim.  

If the SSA asks you to appear at a consultative medical exam, it is important that you attend. You do not want to risk losing out on your ability to obtain SSD benefits.

Other Ways to Qualify for SSD Benefits

If your condition is not specifically listed in the SSA’s Blue Book, this does not necessarily make you ineligible for disability. You will need to provide further medical evidence showing that your muscle or ligament disorder is disabling enough to prevent you from being able to perform your duties at work.

The SSA will evaluate whether the evidence shows that your condition is:

  • Medically determinable (otherwise, proven to exist), and
  • Medically equivalent in severity to a listed impairment or disorder, and
  • Prohibits or is expected to prohibit you from working for at least 12 months

Let Us Help with Your Disability Claim

At Dayes Law Firm, we know how disabling a muscle or ligament disorder can be. That is why we are prepared to ensure that your disability claim or appeal effectively supports your condition. Often, claimants with legal representation have a greater chance at obtaining disability benefits than those who do not.

Get started today by scheduling a free consultation with one of our Phoenix Social Security Disability lawyers. We charge no upfront fees and only receive payment if we help you get benefits.

No Risks or Obligations Involved. Call 1-800-503-2000.