Listing code
1.22
Adult (Part A)
Body system
1.00
Musculoskeletal disorders
Subsections
3
Lettered criteria paths
Step in evaluation
3 of 5
Listing match approves the claim
SSA listing text and criteria
Non-healing or complex fracture of the femur, tibia, pelvis, or one or more of the talocrural bones (see 1.00M ), documented by A, B, and C:
Subsection A
Solid union not evident on imaging (see 1.00C3 ) and not clinically solid. AND
Subsection B
Impairment-related physical limitation of musculoskeletal functioning that has lasted, or is expected to last, for a continuous period of at least 12 months. AND
Subsection C
A documented medical need (see 1.00C6a ) for a walker, bilateral canes, or bilateral crutches (see 1.00C6d ) or a wheeled and seated mobility device involving the use of both hands (see 1.00C6e(i) ).
Source: SSA Blue Book listing 1.22. Last synced 2026-05-04.
Where claims under 1.22 usually fail
One pitfall is focusing only on symptoms or pain without the specific requirement that solid union is not evident on imaging and is not clinically solid (1.22A). Another pitfall is treating the fracture as 'chronic' but not showing the impairment-related physical limitation has lasted, or is expected to last, for a continuous period of at least 12 months (1.22B). A third pitfall is missing the equipment requirement in 1.22C, like needing only a single cane, or lacking documentation that a walker, bilateral canes, bilateral crutches, or a wheeled and seated mobility device with both hands is medically needed. A fourth pitfall is mixing up bone sites, since the listing is limited to femur, tibia, pelvis, or one or more talocrural bones.
Medical evidence that strengthens this claim
Imaging documentation needs to support that solid union is not evident (1.22A), not just that the fracture is present. Records also need clinical support that the fracture is not clinically solid (1.22A), tying the imaging finding to how the fracture is judged in care. To support 1.22B, medical records should document that impairment-related physical limitation of musculoskeletal functioning has lasted, or is expected to last, for at least 12 continuous months. To support 1.22C, the file should include documented medical need for a walker, bilateral canes, or bilateral crutches, or a wheeled and seated mobility device requiring the use of both hands (1.22C).
What happens if your records do not meet this listing
If all three parts (1.22A, 1.22B, and 1.22C) are not present together, this specific listing is not met. The claim can still be decided using the remaining steps, which focus on the overall level of functioning when working (residual functional capacity) rather than only whether the listing criteria check each box. Many claims that do not match a specific musculoskeletal listing are still approved later if the documented limitations are severe enough to prevent sustained work activity, but the outcome depends on the full medical and functional evidence in the file.
Work activity and the SGA gate for this condition
At the start of an SSDI claim, the work-activity rules look at whether work activity can be performed at a level that counts for disability purposes. For 1.22, the typical qualifying picture includes a fracture with no solid union on imaging and not clinically solid (1.22A), a physical limitation lasting or expected to last at least 12 months (1.22B), and a documented medical need for specific mobility equipment (1.22C). If these limitations are documented in a way that prevents sustained physical functioning, approval can lead to eligibility protections that include continued Medicare/SSDI eligibility for those who qualify, and extended eligibility periods for people who start working after approval. (Specific SSDI work thresholds depend on the SSA rules in effect for the trial work period and extended period of eligibility.)
Listing 1.22 FAQ
Questions that come up repeatedly for non-healing or complex fracture of the femur, tibia, pelvis, or one or more of the talocrural bones disability claims.