Eligibility for SSDI with Knee Arthritis

To qualify for SSDI benefits, you must meet two key eligibility requirements:

1. Work History: You must have worked and paid Social Security taxes for a certain number of years, depending on your age.
2. Severe Condition: Your knee arthritis must be severe enough to prevent you from performing any substantial gainful activity (SGA) and affect your ability to work for at least 12 months.

If knee arthritis is preventing you from working, you may qualify for SSDI, but the SSA will evaluate your condition carefully to ensure it meets their disability criteria.

How the SSA Evaluates Knee Arthritis for SSDI

The SSA uses a five-step sequential evaluation process to assess SSDI applications. Here’s how they evaluate knee arthritis:

• Step 1: Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA)
• If you are currently working and earning above a certain amount ($1,470 per month in 2025), the SSA may disqualify you from receiving SSDI, even if you have knee arthritis. To qualify, you must not be engaging in substantial gainful activity.
• Step 2: Severe Impairment
• For knee arthritis to qualify for SSDI, it must be severe enough to significantly limit your ability to perform basic work activities. The SSA will look at how your arthritis affects your ability to stand, walk, lift, carry, and perform other tasks essential to most jobs.
• Step 3: Meet a Listing or Medical Vocational Guidelines
• The SSA recognizes arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions in its Listing of Impairments. If your knee arthritis meets the specific criteria in the SSA’s listing (e.g., severe arthritis resulting in limited range of motion or joint deformity), you may qualify for SSDI benefits.
• If your condition does not meet the exact listing criteria, the SSA will use medical vocational guidelines to determine if your arthritis prevents you from doing your past work or any other type of work based on your age, education, and work experience.
• Step 4: Past Work
• The SSA will determine whether your knee arthritis prevents you from performing your previous job. If you cannot do your past work because of your knee condition, they will move to the next step.
• Step 5: Other Work
• If you cannot do your past work, the SSA will assess whether you can perform other types of work that fit your skills, education, and limitations. If your knee arthritis prevents you from performing even basic tasks required for other types of work, you may qualify for SSDI benefits.

What Documentation Do You Need to Apply for SSDI with Knee Arthritis?

To support your SSDI claim for knee arthritis, you will need to provide detailed medical documentation showing that your condition prevents you from working. Here’s what the SSA will look for:

• Medical Records: Include records from your primary care physician, rheumatologist, or orthopedic specialist detailing your arthritis diagnosis, severity, treatment plan, and prognosis.
• Diagnostic Tests: Provide results from X-rays, MRIs, or other imaging studies that show the extent of the damage to your knee joints.
• Doctor’s Statement: A letter from your treating physician explaining how your knee arthritis limits your ability to perform work-related activities, such as standing, walking, or lifting, is crucial.
• Treatment History: Include records of any treatments you’ve received, such as physical therapy, medications, joint injections, or surgery (e.g., knee replacement).
• Functional Limitations: Provide a Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) assessment from your doctor that details your physical limitations due to knee arthritis. This helps demonstrate how your condition impacts your ability to perform basic work activities.
• Work History: You will also need to provide details of your work history, including descriptions of past jobs and the physical demands of those jobs.