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Debilitating arthritis and structural damage to the knees can support a successful Social Security disability claim. Damage to one or both knees can result in “exertional impairments” - limitations on standing, walking, stooping, climbing, and carrying, and it can result in “non-exertional impairments” - pain, poor sleep, pain medication side effects, obesity, and a myriad of conditions associated with lack of exercise and a sedentary lifestyle. You may also slip into depression if you are not able to get around physically, interact with family, travel or perform activities that you enjoy.
Most chronic knee pain claimants are in their late 40’s or 50’s with the knee pain arising from years of wear and tear. Perhaps you were involved in an automobile accident 15 or 20 years ago, you injured your knees playing football in high school, or perhaps you wore down the cartilage or bones in your knees standing on hard concrete over many years.
Since Social Security judges frequently see claimants alleging disability based on knee pain, you are going to have to show that your pain is more than the mild to moderate discomfort that everyone experiences from time to time, and instead is severe and debilitating to the point where you have difficulty walking and sitting because of the pain and discomfort.
In my experience, some of the factors that judges look for when evaluating knee pain cases include:
- long, solid work history
- objective evidence of problems in your knees - such as MRI reports
- evidence that your doctor recommends a knee replacement, and preferably bilateral knee replacements
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