Can You Get Disability for Arthritis?

Arthritis can qualify for Social Security disability, but which rules apply depends on the kind of arthritis you have. Inflammatory arthritis, where the immune system attacks the joints, is judged under one listing. Wear-and-tear arthritis of a major joint is judged under another. Both ask the same core question: can you still walk, stand and use your hands well enough to work? This page explains each listing, the other route to approval, and what to put in your claim.

Can You Get Disability for Arthritis? Which Listing Applies

Type of arthritis	SSA listing	Examples SSA names
Inflammatory arthritis, peripheral joints	14.09, immune system section	Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, gout and pseudogout, Sjogren’s syndrome, Lyme disease, arthritis with inflammatory bowel disease
Inflammatory arthritis, spine	14.09C	Ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, Reiter’s syndrome, arthritis with inflammatory bowel disease
Osteoarthritis or other damage of a major joint	1.18, musculoskeletal section	Osteoarthritis, chronic bone or joint infection, a surgically fused joint
Arthritis of the spine pressing on a nerve	1.15	Spinal osteoarthritis, facet arthritis

SSA counts these as major joints: the shoulder, elbow and wrist-hand in the arms, and the hip, knee and ankle-foot in the legs.

What Listing 14.09 Requires for Inflammatory Arthritis

Listing 14.09 can be met in any one of four ways.

• 14.09A, joint limits: persistent inflammation or deformity of a major joint in a leg, with a documented medical need for a walker, two canes, two crutches or a two-handed wheeled device (or being unable to use one arm for work tasks while needing a one-handed device in the other); or persistent inflammation or deformity of a major joint in each arm, so that you can’t use either arm for fine and gross movements.
• 14.09B, joints plus organs: inflammation or deformity of a major joint, plus involvement of two or more organs or body systems (one at least moderately severe), plus at least two constitutional symptoms: severe fatigue, fever, malaise or involuntary weight loss.
• 14.09C, spine: ankylosing spondylitis or another spondyloarthropathy with the neck or mid-to-low spine fused at 45 degrees or more of forward flexion on imaging and exam, or at 30 to under 45 degrees plus involvement of two or more organs or body systems.
• 14.09D, repeated flares: repeated flare-ups with at least two constitutional symptoms, and a marked limit in daily activities, social functioning, or finishing tasks on time because of problems with concentration, persistence or pace.

Why Spinal Fusion Counts Without a Cane

Listing 14.09C works differently from the others. SSA says that if your neck or mid-to-low spine is fused at the required angle, it will find a listing-level limit in your ability to see in front of you, above you and to the side, even if you don’t need help from both arms or an assistive device. The fusion has to show on imaging and be measured on physical exam, so ask your provider to record the angle of flexion in degrees.

What SSA Means by Fatigue, Malaise and “Repeated”

These words have specific meanings in the immune system listings. Severe fatigue means a frequent sense of exhaustion that significantly reduces your physical activity or mental function. Malaise means frequent feelings of illness, discomfort or lack of well-being with the same effect. “Repeated” flares generally means about three times a year, or once every 4 months, each lasting 2 weeks or more, though shorter, more frequent flares or longer, less frequent ones can also count.

Inflammatory arthritis can reach beyond the joints. SSA notes it can affect the eyes, lungs, heart, kidneys, blood, nerves and thinking, and those effects can count toward 14.09B or meet listings of their own.

What Listing 1.18 Requires for Osteoarthritis

Listing 1.18 needs all four parts:

• Chronic joint pain or stiffness.
• Abnormal motion, instability or immobility of the joint.
• A visible abnormality on exam (such as a partial dislocation, contracture or fused joint) or on imaging (such as joint space narrowing or bone destruction).
• A limit lasting 12 months shown by a documented medical need for a walker, two canes, two crutches or a two-handed wheeled device; or being unable to use one arm for work tasks while needing a one-handed device in the other; or being unable to use either arm for fine and gross movements.

“Documented medical need” means a medical source supports your need for the device for at least 12 months and describes when you use it. SSA doesn’t require a specific prescription. If you’ve had a hip or knee replacement, SSA has a separate listing, 1.17, for reconstructive surgery of a weight-bearing joint.

If You Don’t Meet a Listing, You Can Still Qualify

SSA says not meeting a listing doesn’t mean you aren’t disabled. It considers whether your conditions together medically equal a listing, then continues its five-step process:

1. Work: earnings over $1,690 a month in 2026 (non-blind) generally end the claim.
2. Severity and duration: the condition must be severe and last, or be expected to last, 12 months.
3. Listing: meeting or equaling one means approval.
4. Past work: SSA sets your residual functional capacity, the most you can still do, and compares it with your past work.
5. Other work: SSA weighs that capacity with your age, education and work experience.

Arthritis often affects exactly what residual functional capacity measures: sitting, standing, walking, lifting and carrying, and also reaching, handling and fine finger movements. If arthritis in your hands means you can’t grip, type or handle small objects for long, say so and make sure your records show it. SSA’s rules say pain and other symptoms can cause limits, and for immune disorders it also weighs flare frequency, periods of remission and treatment side effects.

The Medical Evidence SSA Looks for

For inflammatory arthritis, SSA generally needs your medical history, physical exam reports and lab findings, and sometimes imaging or biopsy results. Diagnosis is generally based on clinical features and blood test findings. For osteoarthritis, SSA wants a physical exam with objective findings, and it won’t use imaging as a substitute for exam findings about how you function.

Helpful records include:

• Rheumatology or orthopedic notes describing swelling, tenderness, deformity, range of motion and strength in specific joints.
• Lab results and imaging, such as inflammatory markers and X-rays or MRIs of affected joints.
• A flare history, with dates, how long each lasted and what treatment you needed.
• Treatment details, including injection or infusion schedules and side effects. SSA counts how intrusive and complex treatment is.
• Assistive device support from your provider, if you use a cane, walker, brace or wheelchair.
• Notes on fatigue, fever or weight loss, which matter for 14.09B and D.

SSDI or SSI for Arthritis

	SSDI	SSI
Who qualifies	Workers with enough credits: generally 40, with 20 in the last 10 years (fewer if younger)	People with limited income and resources
Resource limit	None	$2,000 for one person, $3,000 for a couple (2026)
Monthly amount	Based on earnings; estimated average $1,630 in January 2026	Up to $994 for an individual (2026)
Waiting period	5 full months	None
Health coverage	Medicare after 24 months of benefits	Medicaid in most states

Compare the programs in SSDI vs SSI, or read SSDI and SSI in full. The SSI payment estimator shows how other income changes an SSI amount.

How to Apply for Disability for Arthritis

Apply online, by phone, by mail or in person; the how to apply for disability guide lists what to gather. For an arthritis claim:

1. List every provider, including rheumatology, orthopedics, physical therapy and any infusion center.
2. Name each affected joint and what it stops you doing: walking distance, standing time, gripping, buttoning, typing.
3. Keep a flare log with dates, length and symptoms such as fatigue or fever.
4. List medications and side effects, including injection schedules.

Your state’s Disability Determination Services decides first. If you’re denied, you have 60 days to appeal, with 5 days added for mail; see how to appeal a disability denial. Check the basics with the disability eligibility screener or who qualifies for Social Security disability. To apply in person, use the Social Security office finder.

Related Help

• Immune system disorders and SSA’s 14.00 listings covers lupus, Sjogren’s syndrome and more.
• Musculoskeletal disorders and SSA’s 1.00 listings covers joints, the spine and fractures.
• Workplace accommodations explains changes such as modified equipment or work schedules that can help you keep working.
• Medicaid for people with disabilities covers health coverage, which varies by state; see disability help by state.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Get Disability for Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Yes. SSA names rheumatoid arthritis as an inflammatory arthritis it evaluates under listing 14.09. You can meet the listing through joint limits alone, or through joint involvement combined with effects on other organs, repeated flares and symptoms such as severe fatigue, fever, malaise or weight loss.

Can You Get Disability for Psoriatic Arthritis?

Yes. SSA lists psoriatic arthritis under 14.09, both in the peripheral joints and in the spine. See immune system disorders for the related listings.

Does Osteoarthritis Qualify for Disability?

It can. SSA evaluates osteoarthritis of a major joint under listing 1.18 and osteoarthritis of the spine under 1.15 when it compresses a nerve root. Both need a documented medical need for an assistive device or serious arm limits. See disability for back pain.

What Is SSI for Joint Pain?

SSI is the needs-based Social Security program. It uses the same medical rules as SSDI, so joint pain qualifies only when a diagnosed condition causes limits severe enough to stop substantial work for 12 months. SSI pays up to $994 a month for an individual in 2026.

Do Side Effects From Arthritis Medicines Count?

Yes. For immune system disorders, SSA considers the effects of your medications, their side effects, how intrusive and complex your treatment is (such as injection schedules) and any effect on your thinking or mood.

Can Veterans Get VA Disability for Arthritis?

Veterans whose arthritis is connected to service apply to VA separately, and VA rates it under its own schedule. See how VA disability ratings work.

More on Social Security Disability Benefits

• SSDIHow Social Security Disability Insurance works: work credits, the disability test, the waiting period, amounts and Medicare
• SSIHow Supplemental Security Income works: income and resource limits, the 2026 federal payment, state supplements and Medicaid
• SSDI vs SSIThe differences between SSDI and SSI, side by side, and when you can get both
• Who QualifiesThe work credit test, SSA's definition of disability and the five-step evaluation
• How to ApplyApplying for SSDI or SSI: what to gather, where to apply and what happens next
• AppealsThe four levels of appeal, the 60-day deadline and how to request each one

This guide explains official rules in plain language. It isn't legal advice, and only the agency that runs a program can decide your case.

Sources

1. SSA Blue Book: 14.00 Immune System Disorders, Adult
2. SSA Blue Book: 1.00 Musculoskeletal Disorders, Adult
3. SSA Blue Book: Listing of Impairments overview
4. eCFR: 20 CFR 404.1520, the five-step evaluation
5. eCFR: 20 CFR 404.1545, residual functional capacity