Yes.  The reason for this outcome is that SSA presumes that older claimants (over age 50) have a harder time adjusting to new work vis-à-vis younger claimants.  As a result, unless their impairment is severe enough to meet or equal one of the Listings of Impairments, click HERE to see the Listing of Adult Impairments , claimants under 50 have a difficult time proving disability for purely physical ailments unless their medical condition(s) make it impossible for them to perform any full-time sedentary (sit-down) job.

That’s not to say that claimants under age 50 can never be approved.  As stated previously, if the ALJ determines that your impairment is severe enough to meet or equal one of the conditions set forth in the Listings, your claim will be approved without consideration of your ability to do your past work or other work.  Furthermore, if you have “non-exertional” limitations which “significantly compromise” your ability to do unskilled sedentary work, you can be found disabled even if you are between ages 18 and 49.  Such non-exertional limitations include:

• Illiteracy;
• Inability to communicate in English;
• Postural limitations (inability to sit for six hours total out of an 8-hour workday; inability to walk and/or stand two hours out of an 8-hour workday, need to be able to alternate sitting and standing at will);
• Manipulative limitations (limitations on the use of the hands and/or fingers);
• Need to be able to get up and walk around frequently;
• Inability to work in environments with environmental limitations such as extreme heat or cold, humidity, exposure to respiratory irritants;
• Mental impairments which make a claimant unable to do any one of the following work-related activities on a sustained basis:
  • Understand, remember, and follow simple instructions;
  • Make simple work-related decisions;
  • Respond appropriately to supervisors, co-workers, and typical work situations;
  • Deal with changes in work routines.
• Medication side effects that impair the claimant’s ability to perform work-related activities;
• Urinary or bowel incontinence (need to use the bathroom frequently and on demand)