If your doctor has prescribed a
walker for you to use, that fact alone can significantly strengthen your Social Security Disability case. In many situations, a medically necessary walker is one of the
strongest pieces of evidence that a claimant cannot perform full-time work.
Social Security places heavy weight on the use of assistive devices—especially when they are
prescribed, medically documented, and consistently used.
Here’s why a medically necessary walker can increase your chances of winning disability benefits
by a lot, and what you need to prove.
What Does “Medically Necessary” Mean?
A walker is considered
medically necessary when:
- A licensed medical provider
prescribes it, and
- The prescription is based on documented medical conditions, and
- Medical records explain
why it is required
Social Security does
not give much weight to walkers that are:
- Self-purchased without a prescription
- Used only occasionally without documentation
- Mentioned casually without explanation
To SSA, documentation is everything.
Conditions That Commonly Require a Walker
A walker is often prescribed for conditions such as:
- Severe back disorders
- Spinal stenosis
- Degenerative disc disease
- Radiculopathy or nerve damage
- Multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson’s disease
- Stroke-related weakness
- Balance disorders
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Severe arthritis
- Hip or knee degeneration
- Post-surgical complications
These conditions often affect balance, endurance, and the ability to walk safely—key work-related functions.
Why Walkers Matter So Much to Social Security
1. Walkers Directly Limit Your Ability to Work
Most jobs—especially unskilled or entry-level work—require:
- Standing and walking
- Carrying items
- Using both hands
- Maintaining balance
- Moving safely throughout the workday
If you need a walker:
- One or both hands are occupied
- Your ability to lift or carry is severely limited
- You cannot safely stand or walk for prolonged periods
This alone can rule out
most full-time jobs.
2. Walkers Often Eliminate Sedentary Jobs
Many people assume that if they can’t do physical work, they can still do sedentary work. That’s not always true.
Sedentary jobs often still require:
- Standing or walking occasionally
- Using both hands for tasks
- Getting to and from the workstation
- Maintaining balance
If your walker is required
even occasionally, especially when standing or walking:
- Vocational experts may be forced to admit that jobs are significantly reduced or eliminated
- Judges often find that full-time competitive employment is not realistic
3. Social Security’s Own Rules Favor Assistive Device Claims
SSA regulations recognize that medically required assistive devices can be work-preclusive.
SSA looks at:
- Whether the device is prescribed
- How often it’s needed
- Whether it’s needed indoors or outdoors
- Whether it’s required on flat surfaces
- Whether it’s required at all times
The more frequently the walker is required, the stronger your case.
What Social Security Looks For in Walker Cases
To maximize your chances of approval, SSA wants to see:
â A prescription for the walker
â The medical reason for the walker
â Notes showing ongoing need
â Consistent use documented in records
â Explanation of balance, weakness, or fall risk
â Functional limitations tied to walker use
The best cases clearly connect the walker to
functional limitations, not just diagnosis.
Medical Source Statements Are Especially Powerful Here
A
Medical Source Statement (MSS) that specifically addresses walker use is incredibly persuasive.
Doctors should explain:
- Why the walker is needed
- Whether it’s required all the time or intermittently
- Whether it’s needed indoors
- How it affects lifting, carrying, balance, and stamina
- Whether the claimant could safely work without it
These opinions often carry significant weight with judges.
Consistency Is Critical
One of the most common problems in walker cases is inconsistency.
Examples that hurt cases:
- Doctor prescribes a walker, but later notes say “normal gait”
- Claimant says they need a walker, but records don’t mention it
- Walker prescribed but never referenced again
Consistency is essential across:
- Medical records
- Function reports
- Consultative exams
- Hearing testimony
What If SSA Says You Can Still Do Sedentary Work?
This is where a skilled disability attorney makes a big difference.
An attorney can:
- Cross-examine the vocational expert
- Highlight how walker use limits hand function
- Show reduced job numbers
- Argue that work would be unsafe or unrealistic
- Use SSA policy to challenge assumptions
Many walker cases are
won at the hearing level for this reason.
Walkers at the Hearing Level: A Major Advantage
Judges take walker cases seriously because:
- The limitation is visible and objective
- It directly impacts employability
- It raises safety concerns
- It aligns with medical evidence
When properly documented, walker use often leads to
favorable decisions, even when other evidence is mixed.
What You Should Do If You Use a Walker
If you rely on a walker:
- Make sure it is
prescribed by a doctor
- Use it consistently as directed
- Tell all providers you use it
- Make sure it appears in medical notes
- Obtain a Medical Source Statement addressing it
- Be honest and consistent in all SSA forms
Final Thoughts: Walkers Can Be Case-Changing Evidence
A medically necessary walker is not a minor detail—it is often
case-changing evidence in Social Security Disability claims.
When properly documented, walker use can:
- Eliminate entire categories of work
- Undermine vocational expert testimony
- Support a finding of disability
- Dramatically increase your chances of approval
At
Crossroads Disability, we know how to build strong assistive-device cases and use them effectively at every stage of the process.
If you or a loved one uses a walker and is considering disability benefits—or has been denied already—we’re here to help.
Do you want to see how much money you may be entitled to?
Click Here
