Getting Disability Benefits for Ankylosing Spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis (ANG-kuh-low-sing-spawn-duh-lie-tiss) is an inflammatory disorder that mainly affects the joints of the spine, typically in the lower back. Over time, this inflammation can result in chronic pain and stiffness. ("Ankylosing" means "stiffening," while "spondylitis" refers to the spine.) Some people may have a genetic predisposition towards the disorder, which is generally diagnosed in men under the age of 40 and may affect as much as 1% of the U.S. population.

Symptoms from ankylosing spondylitis can cause difficulties with basic movements like walking, sitting, standing, and bending. If these limitations significantly interfere with your ability to work full-time for at least one year, you may qualify for Social Security disability benefits (SSDI or SSI). And if you're a veteran who can show that your ankylosing spondylitis is related to your time on active duty, you might be eligible for VA disability compensation.

When Does Ankylosing Spondylitis Qualify for Disability?

The Social Security Administration (SSA) awards disability benefits to people who have a medically determinable impairment that keeps them from working at the level of substantial gainful activity for twelve months or longer. While some people can manage symptoms of ankylosing spondylitis when diagnosed early and properly treated with medications, others may struggle to sit upright or are unable to bend in several directions.

You can qualify for disability benefits with ankylosing spondylitis in one of two ways—by satisfying the requirements of a listed impairment or by showing that you have functional limitations that keep you from working at any job on a regular basis. The first method is called "meeting a listing," and is typically only used for the most severe cases. The second method is called a "medical-vocational allowance," which is the most common way that the SSA considers people to be disabled.

Meeting the Disability Listing for Ankylosing Spondylitis

If you have ankylosing spondylitis that results in very limited spinal motion or your back becoming "fixed" (bent in such a way that you can't stand straight) in an abnormal position, you may qualify for disability benefits under Listing 14.09 for inflammatory arthritis. In order to meet the requirements of the listing, you must have medical evidence showing that your ability to see in front of you, above you, or to your side is very limited.

Specifically, you'll need to have medical imaging and physical examinations of one of the following:

• fixation of the dorsolumbar or cervical spine at 45° or more of flexion from the vertical position, or
• fixation of the dorsolumbar or cervical spine at 30° or more of flexion from the vertical position, plus involvement of two or more organs/body systems, one of which must be involved to at least a moderate level of severity. (Ankylosing spondylitis can cause issues with the eyes, heart, lungs, kidneys, or gastrointestinal disease, which count as "involved body systems.")

Keep in mind that it is very difficult to meet (or equal) the requirements of a listing. But even if your ankylosing spondylitis isn't severe enough to fulfill one of the above requirements, you can still get disability benefits if you can show that the disorder causes functional limitations that rule out all full-time jobs.

Getting a Medical-Vocational Allowance Due to Ankylosing Spondylitis

To determine what jobs you can do despite your limitations, Social Security will first assess your residual functional capacity (RFC). Your RFC is a report that reflects the agency's opinion on what you can and can't do, physically and mentally, in a work environment. It's likely that your RFC will contain restrictions on how long you can sit, stand, and walk, as well as how much weight you can lift and carry. Other work-related motions such as bending, stooping, and reaching overhead may also be restricted, depending on how severe your symptoms are.

The more restrictions you have in your RFC, the more jobs will be eliminated from contention as possible options for you to perform—making it more likely that you will be approved for disability benefits. For example, if you can't be on your feet for more than two hours total in an eight-hour workday but you also can't sit at a desk without needing to get up frequently or lie down, it's unlikely that Social Security will find that any jobs exist that you can do. If you can't perform your past work and you can't do any other, less strenuous jobs, the agency should find you disabled.

VA Disability Rating for Ankylosing Spondylitis

Veterans who have service-connected ankylosing spondylitis may qualify for benefits from the VA. Under diagnostic code 5240, the VA will use the Schedule for Rating Disabilities (38 C.F.R. Part 4) to assign you a disability rating that is used to help determine your amount in monthly compensation. The exact criteria are set forth by the General Rating Formula for Diseases and Injuries of the Spine and provide for percentage ratings of 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, or 100%, depending on factors such as the degree of fixation and extent of the spinal stiffness.

Medical Evidence You'll Need to Get Disability

Whether you're filing for VA compensation or Social Security benefits, your medical records are the most important part of your disability claim. Be ready to provide the following documentation:

• clinical notes from your regular physician or rheumatologist containing their observations on how you move around during your appointment
• physical examinations showing a reduced range of motion, tenderness to palpation, or other signs of spinal abnormalities
• objective medical imaging, such as an X-ray, MRI, or CT scan
• lab work or blood tests showing what other body systems are affected, if any, and
• admission and discharge records from any hospitalizations.

Ideally, your doctor should be able to provide a medical source statement to Social Security with their opinion about your functional limitations and identifying what evidence in your record supports the opinion. Among other things, your doctor should measure the degree to which you are able to bend forward and the ability to which you can perform movements of flexion, extension, lateral bending, and spinal rotation. In addition, if your breathing is affected, your doctor should submit chest expansion measurements.

While a formal diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis isn't strictly necessary, it can really help your claim if you have one, even if the diagnosis was made a long time ago. The disorder has been previously referred to as Marie-Strumpells spondylitis, poker back, and rheumatoid spondylitis, so if any of those terms make an appearance in your medical records, that's sufficient to indicate ankylosing spondylitis. Additionally, presence of the HLA-B27 gene—which indicates a predisposition towards developing the disorder—can be identified in a blood test, so you should submit positive results for the HLA-B27 gene if you have it.

How to Apply for Disability for Ankylosing Spondylitis

Applying for SSDI or SSI benefits is fairly straightforward. You'll start by completing Form SSA-16, which you can complete electronically, over the phone, or in person. Below you can find the contact information for your preferred method of filing.

• File online at ssa.gov. This method has many benefits, such as giving you the option to save your application and return to it later. You'll also receive a confirmation number where you can track your application.
• Call Social Security's national number at 800-772-1213 from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, to speak with a representative. If you're deaf or hard of hearing, you can use the TTY number at 800-325-0778.
• Apply in person at your local Social Security field office. You can use the locator toolhere to find the office closest to you.

You can apply for VA benefits in a similar manner. You'll need to complete Form 21-526EZ, Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits, which you can do in a few ways:

• File online using the electronic version of Form 21-526.
• Fax Form 21-526EZ to 844-531-7818 (from inside the United States) or 248-524-4260 (from outside the U.S.).
• Bring your application to your local VA office.
• Mail the form to the Department of Veterans Affairs, Claims Intake Center, PO Box 4444, Janesville, WI 53547-4444.

Veterans can receive both VA and Social Security benefits, although being found disabled by one agency doesn't guarantee that you'll get disability from the other due to the different criteria for each. But if you have medical records strong enough for the VA to give you a 100% disability rating, for example, it's likely that the SSA will come to a similar conclusion.

Disability Benefit Amounts for Ankylosing Spondylitis

Social Security doesn't award benefits based on the type of disabling condition. Instead, the amount you'll receive if you're awarded benefits will depend on whether you're eligible for Social SSDI or SSI. (SSDI eligibility is based on your work history, while SSI is a needs-based benefit subject to income and asset caps.) For more details, check out our articles on how much you can get in SSDI and how much you can get in SSI.

VA disability compensation is calculated using a combination of your disability percentage rating and your living situation. For example, in 2026, an individual veteran with a 30% rating can receive $552.47 every month while an individual veteran with a 50% rating can receive $1,132.90. Veterans with the same disability rating (30% and 50%) but who are married with one dependent child will receive higher payments, at $666.47 and $1,322.90 respectively. You can estimate your benefits by reviewing the current VA disability compensation tables.

What If My Application for Benefits is Denied?

Only about one-third of disability claimants are approved on their first try. But if you receive a denial letter from the SSA (or you disagree with the percentage rating you received from the VA), you can submit an appeal. The SSA disability appeals process typically involves first requesting reconsideration review and then appealing another denial to an administrative law judge, who holds a hearing to decide whether you're disabled. VA appeals go through a similar process, although veterans can opt to have their case go directly to an appeals board.

You aren't required to have an attorney to appeal a denial, but it's usually a good idea. An experienced disability lawyer or advocate can help you gather the proper medical paperwork, make sure you don't miss important deadlines, and represent you at a disability hearing. And because disability lawyers aren't allowed to charge you if you don't win—and they're limited to a small percentage of your disability backpay if you do win—there's little risk in finding a lawyer near you to help with your claim.