Can You Get Disability Benefits for Scoliosis?

Scoliosis (skow-lee-OH-sis) is a spinal condition, usually diagnosed during childhood or adolescence, that causes the spine to form in an abnormal "C" or "S" shape. It's one of the most common back disorders, with about 3 million cases diagnosed every year in the United States. Over 80% of scoliosis cases are idiopathic, meaning that doctors don't know what's causing the disorder. The remaining cases are either hereditary or develop as a result of another disease or trauma.

Most people with scoliosis have mild symptoms that are easily treated. But severe scoliosis can cause intense back pain, nerve damage, and even difficulty breathing if the spinal curvature results in compression of the heart or lungs. If your scoliosis is making it hard for you to perform basic activities such as standing, sitting, or carrying objects, it's important to learn how you may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

Is Scoliosis a Disability?

The Social Security Administration (SSA) recognizes that when symptoms from musculoskeletal disorders such as scoliosis are severe enough, they can significantly interfere with your daily routine and prevent you from working. So if you're unable to work full-time for at least 12 months due to scoliosis, you might qualify for disability benefits.

Spine disorders are some of the most common impairments—illnesses or injuries that can keep you from working—that people list on their disability applications. But because scoliosis symptoms vary in intensity from very mild to quite debilitating, claims examiners must review your application to see how much your scoliosis causes pain and limits your ability to move.

While Social Security won't award benefits to applicants whose symptoms don't interfere much with everyday activities like grocery shopping or cleaning, applicants who have medical documentation of severe scoliosis can get benefits in one of two ways:

• by meeting or equaling one of the listed impairments ( "medically disabled"), or
• by showing that you're unable to perform any job ("vocationally disabled").

Keep in mind that before claims examiners can review your medical records to determine if you're medically or vocationally disabled, they'll first need to see that you meet the preliminary eligibility criteria for either SSDI or SSI. SSDI eligibility is determined by your earnings history and how much you've contributed to the program in payroll taxes. SSI eligibility is needs-based and subject to certain low income and asset restrictions. You can't get benefits if you're not legally allowed to receive either SSDI or SSI, no matter how severe your symptoms are.

When Does Scoliosis Qualify for Disability as a Listed Impairment?

When claims examiners, disability judges, and attorneys talk about "meeting or equaling a listing," they're referring to a list of severe disorders that the Social Security considers automatically disabling, provided the application contains specific medical evidence. If the SSA finds that the severity of your impairment meets or equals a listing, the agency will award you disability benefits without needing to determine whether you can do any work.

Scoliosis doesn't have its own listing in Social Security's "Blue Book" (another name for the listing of impairments, historically in a blue manual). But if your scoliosis is severe enough that it puts pressure on nerves, affecting your ability to walk or use your hands, the SSA can evaluate your disability claim under one of the listings for musculoskeletal impairments.

Many disability applicants with scoliosis also have other conditions that are related to, or are caused by, their spinal malformation. Some people who have scoliosis where the spine twists in addition to the sideways bend (rotoscoliosis) develop a disorder as they age called listhesis. Or, a type of arthritis called ankylosing spondylitis can cause some of the bones in your spine to fuse, resulting in a disorder similar to scoliosis (kyphosis). If you've received a diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis, Social Security can find you disabled under its listing for inflammatory arthritis.

If you think you might qualify for benefits based on a listed impairment—whether for the above listings or any associated cardiovascular and respiratory disorders—try to get a medical source statement from your doctor. Social Security values the opinions of doctors who've seen you consistently and can help explain the technical terms used in your record.

Can You Get on Disability for Scoliosis If You Can't Work?

Even if Social Security thinks that you don't meet or equal one of the listed impairments, the agency can still find you disabled if you can show that there aren't any jobs you can do with your limitations. The process by which the agency determines what you can and can't do in a work environment is called assessing your residual functional capacity, or RFC.

Your RFC is a set of restrictions that reflect the most you're able to do despite your symptoms. A typical RFC for scoliosis may include physical limitations on how long you can sit, stand, and walk in a workday, how much weight you can lift and carry, and any other restrictions on your ability to perform basic movements like bending or reaching. If your record contains evidence of mental limitations—like difficulty focusing due to pain—your RFC will also include mental restrictions such as how long you can concentrate or whether you can perform complex tasks.

Social Security will then look at your RFC to determine if your current restrictions eliminate your ability to do your past work. Then—depending on your age, education, and skills—you'll likely have to show that you can't do the easiest, least physically demanding jobs. For example, if you need to elevate your legs frequently to relieve back pain, it's unlikely that any employer would hire you to do even basic assembly work.

How Hard Is It to Get Disability for Scoliosis?

Getting disability for scoliosis can be challenging unless you have extensive medical records showing that you have significant functional limitations. Remember that you'll need to either meet a listing or show that you can't do any job whatsoever in order to get benefits—both of which are hard standards to meet.

However, you can greatly increase your chances of getting benefits by providing the right kinds of medical documentation that the SSA needs to see in order to find you disabled. Ideally, your case file will contain most, if not all, of the following records:

• medical imaging (like an MRI, X-ray, or CT scan) that includes the radiologist's impressions of any spinal abnormalities and how severe they are
• physical examination notes from your doctor's visits showing signs of pain, weakness, and reduced range of motion
• medications that you've been taking, whether they've helped, and any side effects you might get
• referrals to any specialists, like an orthopedic surgeon or neurologist, and what those specialists have told you about your condition
• visits to the emergency room
• physical therapy records that help show your limitations in activities like lifting weight and bending over
• nerve conduction studies showing the degree of any nerve compression
• use of a back brace or assistive device, and
• operative reports, if you've had a surgical procedure.

If you're worried that you're missing crucial pieces of information, such as an MRI, try to set up an appointment with your doctor. If you can't afford to see a doctor or don't have transportation to get to the doctor's office, let Social Security know. The agency won't hold it against you if you have a good reason for not getting treatment, and can send you to a consultative examination on their own dime if they need more information.

VA Disability for Scoliosis

Veterans who have service-connected scoliosis from their time on active duty may qualify for disability compensation from the VA. Unlike the SSA, which only makes findings of "disabled" or "not disabled," the VA can assign you a disability percentage rating that reflects the degree to which your scoliosis limits your functioning. Your percentage rating is a key component in determining how much you'll receive in monthly VA disability benefits.

The VA uses a manual called the Schedule of Rating Disabilities to assign percentage ratings to different medical conditions. Scoliosis and related back disorders are evaluated under the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine. "Abnormal spinal contour" due to scoliosis warrants a 20% disability rating, but if you have other issues with your back that limit your range of motion, you may be able to obtain a higher percentage rating.

SSI Benefits for Childhood Scoliosis

Because scoliosis is commonly diagnosed in adolescence, your child might qualify for SSI under Social Security's childhood listings if the scoliosis is severe enough. The child listings are similar to the adult listings in many ways—meaning you'll have to provide the same types of medical evidence, like a nerve conduction study, that you would for an adult listing.

However, there are some important differences between the child and adult listings. Specifically, In addition to the medical documentation, you'll need to show that your child is exceptionally limited in some of the following functional domains:

• acquiring and using information
• attending and completing tasks
• interacting and relating with others
• moving about and manipulating objects
• caring for yourself, and
• health and physical well-being.

Social Security looks for evidence of these limitations in educational records, interviews with friends and family, and letters from teachers. If you or your child have functional limitations that are outside the normal range for children of the same age, the SSA can find you or your child disabled.

How Much Disability Can You Get for Scoliosis?

Social Security doesn't award disability benefits based on your medical diagnosis or the types of limitations that keep you from working. Instead, the exact amount of money you'll be paid every month depends on whether you're eligible for SSDI or SSI benefits.

If you qualify for SSDI, your monthly benefit rate will be calculated based on your average lifetime earnings before you became disabled. For 2025, the maximum amount you can receive in SSDI is $4,018 per month, but the average amount is much less, at $1,580. SSI monthly benefits are equal to the federal benefit rate—$967 per month in 2025—minus any countable income you have in that month. Many states provide a modest supplemental benefit amount to the federal benefit rate, depending on your living situation.

VA compensation amounts are determined by a combination of your disability percentage rating and your living situation. A veteran with a 20% rating can receive $346.95 every month (in 2025), even with a spouse or dependent children, while a veteran with a 60% disability rating who has a spouse and child can get $1,617.93 per month from the VA.

How to File for SSDI, SSI, and VA Benefits for Scoliosis

Filing for Social Security disability benefits is a fairly straightforward process. Most claimants choose to apply online at Social Security's official website. If you're filing for SSDI, you can complete the entire application online. SSI claimants who are over 18, have never been married, and have never applied for SSI before—whether for themselves or for a child—can also submit the full application online. (If you don't meet the above requirements for online SSI filing, you can still start the process on the website, but you'll need to follow up with a Social Security representative in person or over the phone.)

You can also apply for disability benefits by calling 800-772-1213 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. If you're deaf or hard of hearing, you can call the TTY number at 800-325-0778. Or, you can choose to apply for disability benefits in person at your local Social Security field office. Some offices require that you make an appointment before you show up, so it's best to call ahead first.

Applications for VA disability compensation follow a similar procedure. You'll need to complete Form 21-526EZ, Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits, which you can do online using the electronic version of the form. You can also print out the form and fax it to 844-531-7818 (248-524-4260 from outside the U.S.), bring it to your local VA office, or mail it to the Department of Veterans Affairs, Claims Intake Center, PO Box 4444, Janesville, WI 53547-4444.

Do I Need a Lawyer to Get Benefits?

There's nothing inherent about a disability determination that requires you to have an attorney—many claimants are successful in getting benefits on their own. But your chances of winning greatly increase when you have a lawyer's assistance in navigating the (very likely) appeals process. An experienced attorney can gather medical records, handle communications with the relevant agencies, and represent you at a hearing before a Social Security judge or VA board.

Disability lawyers work on contingency—meaning they don't get paid unless you win—so there's little up-front cost to you. Many also offer free consultations, so you can talk to several disability attorneys in your area and find one who's a good match for you.