A. General. Your impairment(s), and any related symptoms, such as pain, may cause physical and
mental limitations that affect what you can do in a work setting. Your residual functional
capacity is what you can still do despite your limitations. If you have more than
one impairment, we will consider all of your impairment(s) of which we are aware.
We will consider your ability to meet certain demands of jobs, such as physical demands,
mental demands, sensory requirements, and other functions, as described in paragraphs
B., C., and D., of this section. Residual functional capacity is an assessment based
upon all of the relevant evidence. It may include descriptions (even your own) of
limitations that go beyond the symptoms, such as pain, that are important in the diagnosis
and treatment of your medical condition. Observations by your treating or examining
physicians or psychologists, your family, neighbors, friends, or other persons, of
your limitations, in addition to those observations usually made during formal medical
examinations, may also be used. These descriptions and observations, when used, must
be considered along with your medical records to enable us to decide to what extent
your impairment(s) keeps you from performing particular work activities. This assessment
of your remaining capacity for work is not a decision on whether you are disabled,
but is used as the basis for determining the particular types of work you may be able
to do despite your impairment(s). Then, using the guidelines in DI 25025.001, your vocational background is considered along with your residual functional capacity
in arriving at a disability determination or decision. In deciding whether your disability
continues or ends, the residual functional capacity assessment may also be used to
determine whether any medical improvement you have experienced is related to your
ability to work as discussed in DI 28005.000.
B. Physical abilities. When we assess your physical abilities, we first assess the nature and extent of your
physical limitations and then determine your residual functional capacity for work
activity on a regular and continuing basis. A limited ability to perform certain physical
demands of work activity, such as sitting, standing, walking, lifting, carrying, pushing,
pulling, or other physical functions (including manipulative or postural functions,
such as reaching, handling, stooping or crouching), may reduce your ability to do
past work and other work.
C. Mental abilities. When we assess your mental abilities, we first assess the nature and extent of your
mental limitations and restrictions and then determine your residual functional capacity
for work activity on a regular and continuing basis. A limited ability to carry out
certain mental activities, such as limitations in understanding, remembering, and
carrying out instructions, and in responding appropriately to supervision, co-workers,
and work pressures in a work setting, may reduce your ability to do past work and
other work.
D. Other abilities affected by impairment(s). Some medically determinable impairment(s), such as skin impairment(s), epilepsy, impairment(s)
of vision, hearing or other senses, and impairment(s) which impose environmental restrictions,
may cause limitations and restrictions which affect other work-related abilities.
If you have this type of impairment(s), we consider any resulting limitations and
restrictions which may reduce your ability to do past work and other work in deciding
your residual functional capacity.
E. Total limiting effects. When you have a severe impairment(s), but your symptoms, signs, and laboratory findings
do not meet or equal those of a listed impairment in the Listing of Impairments (DI 34000.000), we will consider the limiting effects of all your impairment(s), even those that
are not severe, in determining your residual functional capacity. Pain or other symptoms
may cause a limitation of function beyond that which can be determined on the basis
of the anatomical, physiological or psychological abnormalities considered alone;
e.g., someone with a low back disorder may be fully capable of the physical demands
consistent with those of sustained medium work activity, but another person with the
same disorder, because of pain, may not be capable of more than the physical demands
consistent with those of light work activity on a sustained basis. In assessing the
total limiting effects of your impairment(s) and any related symptoms, we will consider
all of the medical and nonmedical evidence, including the information described in
DI 24501.021.