# U n i t e d S t a t e s C o u r t o f A pp e a l s

For the Eig hth Circu it

_ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

No . 1 8 -1 8 50

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J o n at h o n A. Swi n k

ll l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l Pl a in t i

f f - Ap p el l an t

v

.

An d rew M . Sau l

, 1 Co m

m is s i o n er, So ci al Secu ri t y Ad m i n i st rat i o n

l l l l l l l l l ll l l l l l l l l l l Def

en da n t - Ap

p el l ee

_ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _

Ap p eal fro m

Un i t ed St at es Di s t ri ct Co u rt

fo r t h e W es t ern Di s t ri ct o f Ark an sas - Ft . Sm i t h

_ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _

Su b m it t ed : Ap ri l 1 9, 2 0 1 9

Fi l ed : J ul y 2 9 , 2 0 1 9

_ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _

Befo re SHEPHERD, M ELLOY, an d GRASZ, Ci rcu i t J u d g es

.

_ __ _ _ __ _ __ _ _

M ELLOY, Ci rcu i t J u d g e.

1 An d rew M . Sau l h as b een ap p o in t ed t o s erv e as Co m m i s s i o n er o f t he So ci al

Secu ri t y Ad m i n i s t rat i o n an d i s s u b s t i t u t ed as ap pel l ee p u rs u an t t o Fed eral Ru l e o f

Ap p el l at e Pro ced u re 4 3 (c).J o n at h on Swi n k ap p eal s t h e di s tri ct co u rt ’ s 2 ju d g m e n t u p ho l di n g t h e So ci al

Secu ri t y A d m i n i s t rat i o n (“ SSA”) Co m m is s i o n er’ s deci s i on t o d en y Swi n k d i s ab i l i t y

i n s u ran ce b en efi t s. Hav i n g ju ri s d i ct i o n u n d er 2 8 U.S.C. § 1 2 9 1

, we affi rm

.

I. Back g ro u n d

Swi n k i s a 4 1

- y ear-o l d m an fro m Ch arl es t on

, Ark an s as

. Si nce at l eas t 2 0 1 2,

v ari o u s m ed i cal p ro fes s io n al s h av e t r eat ed h im fo r a s ei zu re d i s o rd er, an x i et y

, an d

b ack p ai n

. In 2 0 1 3, Swi nk un d erwen t b ack su rg ery to rem ed y a h ern iat ed d i s c i n h i s

l u m b ar s p i n e. He h as n o t wo rk ed s i n ce t h e s u rg ery

.

On Feb ru ary 2 1

, 2 01 4

, Swi n k fi l ed an ap p l i cat i o n f o r d i s ab i l i t y i n s u ran ce

b en efi t s u n d er t h e So ci al Secu ri t y Act (t h e “ Act ”). See 42 U.S.C. § 4 2 3

. He al l eg ed

t h at h is d i s ab i l i t y b eg an o n Oct o b er 2 8

, 2 0 1 3

. Aft er t he SSA d en i ed h i s ap p l i cat i o n

a n d a s u bs eq u en t req u es t to reco n s i d er, Swi n k req u es t ed a heari n g o n t h e m at t e r

b efo re an ad m i n i s t r a t i v e law ju d g e (“ ALJ ”). Swi n k ’ s req u es t was g ran t ed

, an d a

h eari n g was u lt i m at el y

h el d o n M arch 2 1

, 2 0 1 6.

At t h e h eari n g

, t he A LJ h eard t es ti m o n y fro m Swi n k an d a v o cat i o nal ex p ert

.

Swi nk t es t i fi ed t h at hi s b ack p ai n k eep s h i m fro m wo rk i n g

, bu t h e h a s s o m e g o o d

d ay s on wh i ch h e i s ab l e t o d o ch o res aro u n d h is h o u se an d o n ren t al p r o p ert i es h e

o wn s

. He s ai d t h at h e h as n o t ex p eri en ced a g en eral i z e d s e i z u re i n ap p ro x i m at el y

t h ree y ears d u e t o m ed i ca t i o n

. H e ex p l ai n ed t h at h e freq u en t l y h as “ s p el l s,” wh i ch

h e ch arac t e r i z es as s m al l s ei zu res wh ere h i s ey es “ fl o at ” an d h e “ zo n e[s ] ou t ” an d

s l urs h i s s p eech o r s t u t t e r s

. H e s t at ed t h at hi s an x i et y i s h ei g h t en ed becau s e o f h i s

m ed i cal co n d i t i on s

. Th e v o cat i o n al ex p ert t es t i fi ed t h at t h e r e are o v er 1.2 m i l l i o n

jo b s i n t h e n at i o nal eco n o m y fo r a h y p o t h et i cal p ers o n w i t h Swi n k ’ s l i m i t at i o n s— a

2 Th e Ho n o rab l e M ark E. Fo rd

, Un i t ed St at es M ag i s t rat e J u d g e fo r t h e W es t ern

Di s t ri ct o f Ark an s as

, t o w ho m t h e cas e was referred fo r fi n al d i s p o s i t i o n b y co n s en t

o f t h e p art i es p u rs u an t t o 2 8 U.S.C. § 6 3 6 (c).

-2

-p ers o n wh o m u s t av o i d al l h azard s

, can o n l y perfo rm l i g ht

, un s k i l l ed w o rk

, an d can

o n l y o c c a s i o nal l y cl i m

b ram p s an d s t ai rs

, b al an ce, st oo p

, k n eel

, cro u ch an d crawl

.

Th e ALJ al lo wed Swi n k t o en t er s ev eral m ed i cal reco rd s i nt o ev i d en ce. Th e

reco rd s in cl u ded rep o rt s fro m Swi n k ’ s n eu ro l o gi s t s reg ard i n g h i s s ei zu re d i s o rd er,

rep o rt s fro m a s p o rt s m ed ici n e cl i n i c an d M ercy Ho s p it al Fo rt Sm i t h reg ard i n g h i s

b ack i s s ues

, an d rep ort s fro m t wo n u rs e p ract it i on ers reg ard i n g hi s p o st -s urg ery b ack

an d g en eral -h eal t h t reat m en t

. Th e reco rd s s h owed t h at d u ri n g t h e r e l ev an t p eri o d,

Swi nk ’ s g en eral i z e d s ei zu res an d an x i et y were s t ab l e w i t h m ed i cat io n s

. Th ey al s o

s h o wed t h at h i s back co n d i t i o n h ad i m pr o v e d w i t h s u rg ery an d he was cl ear to

g rad u al l y i n creas e h i s act i v i t y

. Acco rd in g t o t h e reco rd s

, Swi n k h ad n o rm al refl ex es

,

m en t al s t at u s

, m

u s cl e b u l k

, s t ren g t h

, an d t o ne. Hi s g ai t was n o rm al

. He h ad “ n o rm al

m o vem en t o f al l ex t rem it i es ,” t h o u g h h i s l o wer b ack was t en der.

Th e ALJ al s o co n si d ered s ev eral m ed ical o pi n io n s

. T h es e in cl u ded a p h y s i cal

cap aci t y as s es s m en t fro m S w i n k ’ s m o st recen t h eal t h -care p ro v i d er, a n u rs e

pr a c titione r n am ed J o n at h an Bro n i st e. Di sab i l i t y -d et erm i n at io n as ses s m en t s t he S S A

h ad p rep are d t h r o u g h m ed ical an d p s y ch o l o g i cal co ns u l tan t s were al s o i n cl u d ed

.

Bro ni s t e o p i n ed t h at Swi nk h ad s ev eral p h y s i cal l i m i t at i o ns t h at wo u l d affect h i s

ab i l i t y to wo rk

— n am el y

, Swi n k co u l d o n l y l i ft an d carry u p to 5 0 p o u nd s

o ccas i o n al l y an d 1 0 p o u n d s freq u en t l y ; h e co u l d o n l y s it fo r t wo h o u rs t o t a l i n a n

ei g h t -h o u r wo rk d ay an d fo r fi ft een m in u t es at a t im e; h e co u l d o n l y b e o n h i s feet fo r

a t o t a l o f f

i v e h o u rs i n an ei g h t -h o u r wo rk d ay ; h e wo u l d n eed t o av o id ex p o s u re to

u n p ro t ect ed h e i g h t s, m o v i n g m ach i n ery

, an d m ark ed t em p erat u re ch an g es ; an d h e

co u ld o n l y o ccas i o n al l y b en d

, sq u at

, crawl

, cl i m b

, s to o p, cro u ch

, or kn eel

. Bro n is t e

al s o s ai d t h at Swi n k wo u l d s o m et i m es n eed t o t ak e un s ch ed u l ed b reak s d u ri n g a wo rk

s h ift an d t h at Swi n k wo u l d l i k el y m i s s m o re t h an fo ur wo rk d ay s p er m o n t h

. T h e

co n su l t an t s wh o p r e p ared t h e d i s ab i l i t y -d et erm i n at i o n as s es sm en t s co n cl u d ed t h at

Swi nk co u l d p erfo rm l i g h t wo rk wi t h o ccas i o nal cl i m b in g

, s t o op i n g

, k n eel i n g,

cro u ch in g

, b al an ci n g

, an d crawl i n g

. Th ey al s o s ai d t h at Swi n k s h o u l d av o i d ex p o s u re

t o h azard s an d t h at an y l i m i t at i o n s ari s i n g fro m h i s m en t al i m p ai rm en t s were n o m o re

t h an “ m i l d

. ”

-3

-Th e ALJ t o o k t h e cas e u n d er ad v is em en t

, al l owi n g Swi n k t o s up p l em en t t h e

reco rd w i t h m at eri al s h e recei v ed fro m a recen t v i s i t w i t h h i s n eu ro l o gi s t

. Th e

s u p p lem en t al m at eri a l s c o n fi rm ed t h at Swi n k ’ s g en eral i zed s ei zu res an d an x i et y

d i s o rd er were s t ab l e wi th m ed i cat i o n a n d th at h e h ad a n o rm al g ai t

. Th ey al s o

rev eal ed t h at Swi n k ’ s n eu ro lo g i s t d i d n ot bel i ev e Swi n k ’ s s p el l s were s m al l s ei zu res

.

Acco rd in g t o t h e n eu ro lo gi s t

, t h e s p el l s were p o s s i b l y t h e effect o f an u nd i ag n o s ed

at t en ti o n d efi ci t d i s o rd er (“ ADD”). Th e n eu ro l o g i s t reco m m en d ed t es t i n g fo r ADD

an d i n creas ed t h e d o s e o f Swi n k ’ s s ei zu re m ed i cat i on

, ap p aren t ly at Swi n k ’ s req u es t

an d o u t o f cau ti o n

.

Th e ALJ co n cl u d ed t h at Swi n k was no t u n d er a d i s ab i l i t y as th at t erm i s

d efi n ed in t h e Act an d d en i ed h i s ap p l i cat i o n

. Sp eci fi cal l y

, t h e ALJ fo u n d t h at Swi n k

h ad “ th e res i d u a l fu nct i o n al cap aci t y t o p erfo rm l i g ht wo rk as defi n ed i n 2 0 CFR

4 0 4 .1 5 6 7 (b ) ex cep t h e [co u l d o n l y ] o ccas i o n al l y st o o p, k n eel

, cl i m b ram p s an d s t ai rs

,

b al an ce, cro u ch

, an d crawl .” Th e ALJ fu rt h er fo u nd t h at Swi n k n eed ed to “ av o i d al l

ex p os u re t o h azard s ” an d t h at h e was “ l i m i t ed t o u n s ki l l ed wo rk

. ”

Swi n k req u es t ed t h at t h e SSA Ap p eal s Co u n ci l rev iew t h e ALJ ’ s d eci s i o n

. Th e

SSA Ap p eal s Co u n ci l d en i ed t h e req u es t

, ren d eri n g t h e ALJ ’ s deci s io n t h e fi n al

d eci s i o n of t he So ci al Secu ri t y Co m m is s i o n er. Swi n k ap p eal ed t o th e d i s t ri ct co u rt

,

wh i ch affi rm ed . Swi n k n o w ap p eal s t o t h i s Co urt

.

II. Di scu s s i o n

W e rev i ew d e n ov o t h e d i s t ri ct co u rt ’ s d eci si o n affi rm i n g t h e d en ial o f s o ci al

s ecu ri t y b en efi t s

. Pap es h v

. Co l v i n

, 7 8 6 F.3 d 1 1 2 6

, 1 1 3 1 (8 t h Ci r. 2 0 15 ). W e affi rm

“ i f th e ALJ m ad e n o l eg al erro r an d t he ALJ ’ s deci s i o n i s s u pp o rt ed b y s u b s t an t i al

ev i d en ce o n t h e reco rd as a wh o l e.” Id

. (ci t at i o n o m i t ted ). Ev i d en ce i s s u b s t an t i al

wh en “ a reas o nab l e m i n d wo u l d fi n d i t ad eq u at e t o s u pp o rt t h e Co m m i s s i o n er’ s

co n cl u s i o n .” As h v

. Co l v i n

, 8 1 2 F.3 d 6 8 6

, 6 8 9 (8 t h Ci r. 2 01 6 ) (ci t at i o n o m i t t ed ). If,

aft er rev i ewi n g t h e reco rd

, i t i s “ p o s s i b l e t o d raw two i n co n s i s ten t p os i t i o n s

. . . an d

-4

-o n e o f th o s e p o s i t i o n s rep r e s en t s t h e Co m m i s s i o n er’ s fi nd i ng s

, w e m u s t affi rm t h e

d eci s i o n o f t h e Co m

m i s s i o n er.” Id . at 6 8 9

– 9 0 (ci t at i o n o m i t t ed ).

Th e Act d efi nes t h e t erm “ d i s ab i li t y ” t o m ean

, i n p art

, th e “ i n ab i l it y t o en g ag e

i n an y s u b s t an t i al g ai nfu l act iv i t y b y reas on o f an y m ed i cal ly d et erm i nab l e p h y s i cal

o r m en t al i m

p ai rm en t wh i ch can b e ex pect ed t o res u l t i n deat h o r wh ich h as l as t ed o r

can b e ex p ect ed t o l as t fo r a co n t i n u o u s p eri o d o f n o t l es s th an 1 2 m o n t h s .”

4 2 U.S.C. § 4 2 3 (d )(1 )(A). Th e reg u l at io n s i m pl em en t i n g t h e Act s et fo rt h a fi v e-s t ep

,

s eq u en t i al p ro ces s f

o r d et erm i n i n g wh et h er a cl ai m an t i s un d er a d is ab i l i t y

. See

2 0 C.F.R. § 4 0 4 .1 52 0

. At i s s u e i n t h i s cas e i s wh et h er t h e ALJ erro n eo u s l y

d et erm i n ed Swi n k’ s res id u a l fu n ct i o n al cap aci t y (“ RFC”), a p ro ces s es s en t i al to

p ro p erl y co m p l et i n g s t ep s fo ur an d fi v e. See i d . § 4 0 4

. 1 5 20 (a)(4 )(i v )– (v ), (e).

A cl ai m an t ’ s RFC i s “ t h e m o s t [h e] can s t i l l d o d es p it e [h i s ] l i m i t at io n s .” Id

.

§ 40 4 .1 54 5(a)(1 ). To d et erm in e a cl ai m an t ’ s RFC, an ALJ m us t rev i ew “ al l t h e

rel ev an t m ed ical an d o t h e r e v i d e n ce in [t h e cl ai m an t’ s] cas e reco rd .” Id

.

§ 4 0 4.1 5 20 (e); s ee al s o i d

. § 4 0 4.1 5 4 5(a)(1 ) (“ W e wi l l as s es s y ou r res i d u al fu n ct i o n al

cap aci t y b as ed o n al l th e rel ev an t ev i d en ce i n y o u r c a s e reco rd

. ”). Det erm i n i n g a

cl ai m an t ’ s RFC i s a m ed ical q ues t io n t h at m u s t b e b as ed o n “ s o m e m ed i cal ev i d en ce.”

J u l i n v

. Co l v i n, 82 6 F.3 d 1 0 8 2

, 1 0 8 9 (8 t h Ci r. 2 01 6 ). A cl ai m a n t b e a r s t h e b u rd en

o f es tab li s h i n g h i s RFC. Des p ai n v

. Berry h il l

, 92 6 F.3 d 1 0 2 4

, 10 2 7 (8 t h Ci r. 2 0 1 9 ).

W e h o ld t h at s u b s t an t i al ev id en ce s u p p o rt s t h e ALJ ’ s fi n d i n g t hat Swi n k h ad

t h e RFC t o p erfo rm l i g h t

, u n s k il l ed wo rk wi t h s ev eral l i m it at io n s

. Th e reco rd rev eal s

t h at Swi n k h as h a d n o g e n e ral i zed s ei zu res d u ri n g t h e rel ev an t p eri o d an d t h at h i s

m en t al i m p ai rm en t s hav e b een s t ab l e wi t h m ed i cat i o n

. Mo reo v er, fo l l owi n g Swi n k ’ s

b ack s u rg ery an d n earl y a m on t h b efo re Swi n k ap p l i ed fo r d i s ab i l i t y i n s u ran ce

b en efi t s

, Swi n k’ s b ack su rg eo n s ai d Swi n k co u ld s afel y l i ft t wen t y -fi v e p o un d s an d

ret u rn t o g en eral act i v i t y o v er t h e nex t t wo t o t h ree m o n th s

. Swi nk ’ s p os t -o p erat i o n

care p ro vi d ers reach ed s i m i l ar co n cl u s io n s

, an d n o n e o f t h em i m p os ed res t ri ct i o n s o n

Swi nk ’ s w o rk -rel at ed act i v i t ies

. W e t h erefo re m u s t res p ect t he ALJ ’ s RFC fi n d i n g

-5

-b ecau s e “ a reas on ab l e m i n d wo u l d fi n d [t h e ev i den ce] ad eq u at e t o s u p p o rt ” i t

. As h,

8 1 2 F.3 d at 6 8 9

.

Swi n k arg u es th at t he A LJ erred in d et erm i n i n g h i s RFC becau s e t h e ALJ d id

n o t “ i n cl u d e, o r at l eas t co m m en t o n a n d as si g n w ei g h t t o ,” cert ai n

l i m i tat i on s —n am el y

, t h at h e wo u l d freq u en t l y m i s s wo rk d ay s

, t ak e irreg u l ar b reak s

,

an d be o ff t a s k

. Swi n k is co rrect t h at s o m e ev i den ce i n t h e reco rd

— n am el y

,

Bro ni s t e’ s p h y si cal cap aci t y as s es s m en t —s u p p o rt s hi s cl ai m s t h at h i s im pai rm en t s

w o u l d l im i t h i m i n t h es e way s

. “ T h e m ere fact t hat s o m e ev i d en ce m ay s u p p o rt a

co n cl u s i o n o p p o s i t e t o t h at reach ed b y t h e Co m m i s s i o n er,” ho wev er, “ d o es n o t al l o w

t h i s Co u rt t o rev ers e th e d eci si o n o f t h e ALJ .” J oh n s o n v

. Barn h art

, 3 9 0 F.3 d 1 0 6 7,

1 0 70 (8 th Ci r. 2 0 0 4 ). Th u s

, ev en t h o u g h we ag ree wi t h Swi n k t o s om e ex ten t

, 3 we

m u st affi rm t h e ALJ ’ s RFC fi n d i n g

.

Swi n k arg u es th at t h e ALJ s h o ul d h av e ord ered a co n s u l t at i v e ex am i n at i o n to

d et erm i n e wh et her hi s i m

p ai rm en t s wo u l d res u l t i n t h e l i m i t at i o n s ju s t d es cri b ed

. W e

d i s ag ree. “ [A] n ALJ is p erm i t t ed t o i s s u e a d e c i s i o n w i t ho u t o bt ai n i n g ad d i t i o n al

m ed i cal ev id en ce s o l o n g as o t her ev i d en ce i n th e reco rd p ro v id es a s u ffi ci en t b as i s

fo r t h e ALJ ’ s d eci s i on .” An d ers o n v

. Sh al al a, 5 1 F

. 3 d 7 7 7

, 7 7 9 (8 t h Ci r. 1 9 9 5 )

(al t erat i on i n o ri gi n al ) (ci tat i o n o m i t t ed ). Fo r t h e reas o n s st at ed ab o v e, we h o l d t h at

t h e ev i d en ce i n t h e reco rd p ro v i d ed a s u ffi ci en t b as i s fo r t h e ALJ ’ s d eci s i o n

. Th e

ALJ was n o t req u i red t o o rd er a co n s u l tat i ve ex am i nat i o n.

3 W e n ot e t h at t h e ALJ d id co m m en t o n t h e l i m i t at i o n s Swi n k s ay s s h o u l d h av e

b een i n cl u d ed i n h i s RFC. Th e ALJ st at ed t h at “ s u b s t an t ial o b j ect i v e m ed i cal

ev i d en ce s h o wi n g s t ab l e p h y s i cal an d d iag n o s t i c fi n d i n g s ” d i d n o t s up p ort Bro n i st e’ s

“ o p i n i o n reg ard i n g [Swi n k ’ s ] l i k el i h o o d o f a b s en ces

, th e n eed fo r u n s ch ed u l ed

b reak s

, n o r si g n i fi can t l y red u ced s i t t i n g, st an d i n g, an d wal k i ng ab i l i t i es .” W e s ee

n o t h i n g i n ap p ro pri at e ab o u t t hi s s t at em en t

. See W i n n v

. Co m m ’ r, So c. Sec. Ad m i n

., 8 9 4 F.3 d 9 8 2, 9 8 6 (8 t h Ci r. 2 0 1 8 ) (“ A t reat i n g p h y si ci an ’ s o p i n i o n wi ll b e g i v e n

co n tro l l in g wei g h t i f, an d o nl y if, i t i s wel l -s up p o rt ed by m ed i cal l y accep tab l e cl i n i cal

an d lab orat o ry d iag n o s t i c tech n i q u es an d i s n ot i n co n s i st en t wi t h t he o t her s u b s t an t i al

ev i d en ce.” (i n tern al q uo tat i o n m ark s an d ci t at i on o m i t t ed )).

-6

-Fi n al l y

, Swi n k arg u es t hat t h e ALJ i m p ro p erl y as s es s ed h i s cred i b i l i t y. H e

arg u es t h at t he ALJ erro n eo u s l y d i s cred i t ed h i s s u b ject i v e cl ai m s o f p ai n

. W e

d i s ag ree.

W h en ev al u at i n g a cl ai m an t ’ s s u b ject i v e co m

p l ai n ts o f p ai n

, t h e ALJ

m u s t co n s i d er ob

ject i v e m ed i cal ev id en ce, t h e cl ai m an t’ s wo rk h i s t o ry

,

an d o t h er ev i d en ce rel at in g t o (1 ) t h e cl ai m an t ’ s d ai l y act i v it ies ; (2 ) th e

d u rat i o n

, freq u en cy

, an d i n t en s i t y o f th e p ai n ; (3 ) p reci p it at i n g an d

ag g rav at i n g fact o rs ; (4 ) t h e d o s ag e, effect i v en es s

, an d s i d e effect s o f

m ed i cat i o n ; an d (5 ) t h e cl ai m an t ’ s fu n ct i o n al res t ri ct io n s

. . . . [A] n ALJ

n eed n o t ex p li ci t l y

d i s cu s s each fact o r, an d we wi ll d efer t o cred i b i l i t y

d et erm i nat i o n s t h at are s u p p o rt ed b y g o o d reas o n s an d s u b s tan t i al

ev i d en c e

. . . . An ALJ m ay d ecl i n e t o cred it a cl ai m an t’ s s u b ject iv e

co m p lai n t s i f t h e ev i d en ce as a wh o l e i s i n co n s i s t en t wi t h t h e cl ai m an t ’ s

t es t i m o n y

.

Sch w an d t v

. Berry h i l l

, 9 26 F.3 d 1 0 0 4

, 1 01 2 (8 t h Ci r. 2 0 1 9) (i n t ern al q u ot at i o n m ark s

an d ci t at i o n s o m i tt ed ).

Here, th e ALJ larg el y cred i t ed Swi n k ’ s p ai n -rel at ed as s ert i o n s. Th us

, t h e ALJ

res t ri ct ed h i m t o l ig h t

, u ns k i l led wo rk wi t h o ccas i o n al s t o o p in g

, k neel i n g

, cl i m b i n g

ram p s a n d s t a i r s

, b al an ci n g

, cro u ch i n g

, an d crawl i n g an d n o ex p o su re t o h azard s

.

Ho wev er, t he ALJ fo u n d t h at Swi n k ’ s “ s tat em en t s co n c e r n i n g th e in t en s i t y

,

p ers i st en ce an d l i m i t in g effect s o f [h i s ] s y m p t om s [were] n ot en ti rel y co n s is ten t wi th

t h e m ed i cal ev i den ce a n d o t h e r ev i d en ce i n th e reco rd .” Th e A LJ ex p l ai n ed t h at

Swi nk ’ s m ed i cal reco rd s in d i cat ed t hat Swi n k s u ffer e d fro m a “ d ecreas ed ran g e o f

m o ti o n

, p ai n

, an d t en d ern es s

. ” Bu t

, t he ALJ s ai d t h e reco rd s al so s ho wed t h at Swi n k

h ad “ fu ll s t ren g t h

, i n t a c t n eu ro l o g i cal fu n ct i o ns

, n arro w g ai t

, an d t h e ab i l i t y to

p erfo rm tan d em gai t wi t h o u t d i ffi cu l t y .” M oreo v er, t h e ALJ n ot ed t h at Swi n k ’ s p o s t

o p e r a t i o n X -ray s “ on l y s h o wed m i l d d i s c s pace n arro w i ng an d s p ur fo rm at i o n

. ”

Fi n al l y

, t h e ALJ s t at ed t h at wh i l e Swi n k al l eg ed “ t h at h e ex p eri en ces res i d u al b ack

p ai n t h at i n t erferes wi t h h i s a b i l i t y t o s i t

, s t an d, an d wal k fo r an ex t en ded d u rat i o n,

-7

-h e t es t i fi ed t h at h e i s s t i l l ab l e t o p erf o r m s o m e h o u seh o l d rep ai rs o n t h e ren t al

p ro p ert i es t h at h e o wn s , d ri ve, s h o p , an d p erfo rm l i g h t h o u s eh ol d ch o res

. ”

W e h o l d t h at t h e ALJ ’ s cred i b i l i t y det erm in at i o n i s s u pp o rt ed b y s u b s t an t i al

ev i d en ce o n th e reco rd as a wh o l e. Swi n k cl earl y su ffers fro m b ack pai n

, bu t n o t h i n g

i n t h e reco rd co n v i n ces u s t h at we s h o u l d di s t u rb t h e ALJ ’ s cred i bi l i t y fi nd i n g

. See

Nas h v

. Co m

m ’ r, So c. Sec. Ad m i n

., 9 0 7 F.3 d 1 08 6

, 1 0 9 0 (“ Th i s co urt wi l l n ot

s u b s t i t u t e i t s o p i n i o n fo r t h e ALJ ’ s, wh o i s i n a bet t er po s it i o n t o gau g e cred i b i l i t y

an d res o lv e co n fl i ct s i n ev i d en ce.” (ci t at i o n o m i tt ed )).

III. Co n cl u s i o n

Acco rd i ng l y , we affi rm

t h e ju dg m en t o f t h e d i s t ri ct co u rt

.

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