UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE TENTH CIRCUIT

________________ _________________ RODOLFO RIVERA, JR., Plaintiff - Appellant,

v. COMMISSIONER, SSA, Defendant - Appellee. No. 22-1026 (D.C. No. 1:20- CV-02570-RMR) (D. Colo.)

________________ _________________ ORDER AND JUDGMENT *

________________ _________________ Before PHILLIPS , McHUGH , and ROSSMAN , Circuit Judges.

________________ _________________ Rodolfo Rivera, Jr., appeals pro se from a district court order affirming the Commissioner’s denial of Social Securi ty disability insurance benefits. 1 Exercising jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291 and 42 U.S.C. § 405(g), we affirm.

* After examining the briefs and appella te record, this pa nel has determined unanimously to honor the parties’ request for a decision on the briefs without oral argument. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(f); 10th Cir. R. 34.1(G). The case is therefore submitted without oral argument. This or der and judgment is not binding precedent, except under the doctrines of la w of the case, res judicata, and collateral estoppel. It may be cited, however, for its persuasive value consistent with Fed. R. App. P. 32.1 and 10th Cir. R. 32.1.

1 We liberally construe Mr. Rivera’s pr o se filings, but we do not act as his advocate. See Walters v. Wal- Mart Stores, Inc. , 703 F.3d 1167, 1173 (10th Cir. 2013). FILED United States Court of Appeals Tenth Circuit 

### November 30, 2022 Christopher M. Wolpert Clerk of Court Appellate Case: 22-1026 Document: 010110775558 Date Filed: 11/30/2022 Page: 12 I Mr. Rivera sought disability benefits for back, vision, and respiratory problems, among other ailments. After a hear ing, an administrati ve law judge (ALJ) evaluated Mr. Rivera’s application accordi ng to the agency’s five-step sequential evaluation process. See Wall v. Astrue , 561 F.3d 1048, 1052 (10th Cir. 2009). 2 At step two of the process, th e ALJ determined Mr. Rivera was severely impaired by degenerative disc disease of the cervical spine with ra diculopathy, carpal tunnel syndrome of the left upper ex tremity, chronic rhinitis, and obesity. But at step four of the evaluation process, th e ALJ concluded Mr. Rivera wa s not disabled because he

2 In Wall , we outlined the five-step proce ss used by the Social Security Administration to determine whet her a claimant is disabled: Step one requires the ag ency to determine wh ether a claimant is presently engaged in substantial ga inful activity. If not, the agency proceeds to consider, at step two, whet her a claimant has a medically severe impairment or impairments. An impa irment is severe under the applicable regulations if it significantly limits a cl aimant’s physical or mental ability to perform basic work activ ities. At step three, the ALJ considers whether a claimant’s medically severe impair ments are equivalent to a condition listed in the appendix of the relevant disability regulation. If a claimant’s impairments are not equivalent to a listed impairment, the ALJ must consider, at step four, whether a cl aimant’s impairments prevent her from performing her past relevant work. Even if a claimant is so impaired, the agency considers, at st ep five, whether she posse sses the sufficient residual functional capability to perform othe r work in the national economy. 561 F.3d at 1052 (citations and in ternal quotation marks omitted). Appellate Case: 22-1026 Document: 010110775558 Date Filed: 11/30/2022 Page: 23 retained the residual func tional capacity (RFC) to pe rform a reduced range of “medium work,” including his past relevant work in irrigation system maintenance. 3 The Appeals Council declined review, and the district court affirmed the ALJ’s decision. Mr. Rivera then timely appealed.
II “We review the Commissioner’s decisi on to determine whether the ALJ’s factual findings are supported by substantial evidence in the record and whether the

3 “Medium work” is defined as follows: Medium Work. Medium work i nvolves lifting no more than 50 pounds at a time with fre quent lifting or carrying of objects weighing up to 25 pounds. If someone can do medi um work, we determine that he or she can also do sedentary and light work. 20 C.F.R. § 1567(c). Social Secur ity Ruling 83-10 further explains: Medium work. The regulations define me dium work as lifting no more than 50 pounds at a time with fre quent lifting or carrying of objects weighing up to 25 pounds. A full range of medium work requires standing or walking, off and on, for a total of approximately 6 hours in an 8-hour workday in order to meet the requirements of frequent lifting or carrying objects weighing up to 25 pounds. As in light work, sitting may occur intermittently during the remaining time. Use of the arms and hands is necessary to grasp, hold, and turn objects, as opposed to the finer activities in much sedentar y work, which require precision use of the fingers as well as use of the hands and arms.

. . . . In most medium jobs, being on one’ s feet for most of the workday is critical. Being able to do frequ ent lifting or carrying of objects weighing up to 25 pounds is often more critical than bei ng able to lift up to 50 pounds at a time. Soc. Sec. Rul. 83-10, 1983 WL 31251, at *6. Appellate Case: 22-1026 Document: 010110775558 Date Filed: 11/30/2022 Page: 34 correct legal standards were applied.” Keyes-Zachary v. Astrue , 695 F.3d 1156, 1161 (10th Cir. 2012) (internal quotation marks omitted). “Subs tantial evidence is more than a mere scintilla and is such releva nt evidence as a reasonable mind might accept as adequate to support a conclusion.” Noreja v. Comm’r, SSA , 952 F.3d 1172, 1178 (10th Cir. 2020) (interna l quotation marks omitted). “We consider whether the ALJ followed the specific rules of law that must be followed in weighing particular types of evidence in disability case s, but we will not reweigh the evidence or substitute our judgment for the Commissioner’s.” Hackett v. Barnhart , 395 F.3d 1168, 1172 (10th Cir. 2005) (c itation and internal quotation marks omitted)

. Mr. Rivera contends the ALJ erred in 1) finding he no longer uses inhalers to treat his respiratory condition, 2) evaluati ng his vision impairme nt, and 3) assessing his RFC without fully accounting for his back pain. We consider these arguments in

turn. 4
1. Use of Inhalers Mr. Rivera contends the ALJ erroneousl y found he no longer uses inhalers. The ALJ stated, “[T]he claima nt testified that he no longe r uses inhalers.” R. at 39-40. Mr. Rivera disputes this finding. According to Mr. Rivera, he indicated during the hearing that he “was out of inha lers and needed a ref ill.” Aplt. Opening

4 In the district court, Mr. Rivera al so argued the ALJ erred at step four by failing to account for all of the demands of Mr. Rivera’s past work in irrigation system maintenance. That argument is not advanced in the opening brief, so we do not consider it. See Keyes-Zachary , 695 F.3d at 1161 (explai ning that appellate review is confined to the issues adequately briefed on appeal). Appellate Case: 22-1026 Document: 010110775558 Date Filed: 11/30/2022 Page: 45 Br. at 10. But that was not Mr. Rivera ’s testimony. The ALJ asked Mr. Rivera, “[A]re you still on the inhalers, other medi cations for . . . breathing specifically?” R. at 69. Mr. Rivera replied, “No. No.” Id. This testimony demonstrates that he denied using inhalers, not that he needed to refill his prescripti ons. Later during the hearing, the ALJ recalled that Mr. Rivera had “mentioned . . . not using inhalers anymore,” id. at 75, and Mr. Rivera did not clar ify his earlier testimony or correct the ALJ. Under these circumstances, we c onclude substantial evidence supports the ALJ’s finding that Mr. Rivera testified he no longer uses i nhalers.
2. Step Two: Vision Impairment Mr. Rivera challenges how the ALJ eval uated his vision impa irment at step two. We first outline the governing legal princi ples. We then discuss how the ALJ evaluated Mr. Rivera’s visi on impairment and consider two arguments Mr. Rivera advances challenging the ALJ’s analysis.

a. Governing Step-Two Principles At step two of the sequential evalua tion process, an ALJ must consider “whether a claimant has a medically se vere impairment or impairments.” Wall , 561 F.3d at 1052 (internal quotation mark s omitted). Step two involves a “de minimis” showing because “only those claimants with slight abnormalities that do not significantly limit any basic work activity can be denied benefits without undertaking the subsequent steps of the sequential evaluation process.” Langley v. Barnhart , 373 F.3d 1116, 1123 (10t h Cir. 2004) (brackets and internal quotation marks omitted). “The step-t wo severity determination is based on medical factors Appellate Case: 22-1026 Document: 010110775558 Date Filed: 11/30/2022 Page: 56 alone, and does not include consideration of such vocational factors as age, education, and work experience.” Id. (internal quotation marks omitted). Neither is the step-two severity determ ination based on a claimant’s “statement of symptoms”; rather, “a physical or ment al impairment must be es tablished by objective medical evidence from an acceptable medical source” and “result from anatomical, physiological, or psychol ogical abnormalities that ca n be shown by medically acceptable clinical and laborator y diagnostic techniques.” 20 C.F.R. § 404.1521. As long as an ALJ finds at least one severe impairment at step two, the ALJ must proceed with the sequential evaluation proces s and evaluate the limiting effects of all impairments, both severe and non-severe, at subsequent steps of the evaluative
process. See Allman v. Colvin , 813 F.3d 1326, 1330 (10th Ci r. 2016) (explaining that at step two, 20 C.F.R. § 404.1520(a)(4)(ii) requires only one seve re impairment, and if established, the ALJ must proceed to evaluate the limiting effects of all impairments, severe and n on-severe, during subsequent steps under § 404.1545(e)). b. ALJ’s Evaluation of Mr. Rivera’s Condition The ALJ recognized Mr. Rivera had been diagnosed with “unspecified macular degeneration,” which the ALJ deemed a medically determinable, but non-severe, impairment. R. at 36. Mr. Rivera’s macular degenerati on and several other conditions were non-severe impairments, the ALJ found, because there was “no evidence of any ongoing functional limitati ons from these impairments due to the limited nature of [his] complaints, the good re sponse to treatment, or the lack of any evidence of any functional limitations for any 12-month period of time.” Id. at Appellate Case: 22-1026 Document: 010110775558 Date Filed: 11/30/2022 Page: 67 36-37. Nonetheless, the ALJ still “c onsider[ed] any potential effects these impairments might cause or cont ribute to . . . the [RFC].” Id. at 37. The ALJ also observed Mr. Rivera had been “‘diagnosed’ with a number of symptoms,” including “unspecified subjective visual disturbance.” Id. The ALJ stated that “[s]ymptoms are not, on their ow n, medically determinable impairments,” although “to the extent these symptoms co rrelate to [Mr. Rivera’s] medically determinable impairments, they have b een considered along with [the medically determinable impairments] in evaluating the severity of those me dically determinable impairments.” Id. Thus, the ALJ ultimately found at step two that

 Mr. Rivera’s macular degenerati on was not a severe impairment;

 That his “unspecified subjective visu al disturbance” was not, on its own, a medically determinable impairment; and

 Mr. Rivera had four other severe impairments. See id. at 36-37. The ALJ therefore procee ded with the subsequent steps of the sequential evaluation process. See id. at 37-42.

c. Mr. Rivera’s Arguments On appeal, Mr. Rivera challenges th e ALJ’s determination on two grounds. 5

5 Mr. Rivera contends the ALJ cont radicted himself by initially finding Mr. Rivera had non-severe impairments, ye t later acknowledging he had other severe impairments. See Aplt. Opening Br. at 5. We di sagree. As we have indicated, the ALJ found at step two th at Mr. Rivera had four severe impairments. See R. at 36. The ALJ then separately identified Mr. Rivera’s non-severe impairments. See id. at 36-37. The ALJ proceeded to step three and evaluated wh ether any of Mr. Rivera’s severe impairments satisfied the criteria of a listed im pairment and concluded they did not. See id. at 37. Thus, the ALJ continued to step four and reiterated that Mr. Rivera had four severe impairments. See id. at 39. We discern no contradiction. Appellate Case: 22-1026 Document: 010110775558 Date Filed: 11/30/2022 Page: 78 First, Mr. Rivera disputes the ALJ’s ruling that “‘[s]ymp toms are not, on their own, medically determinable impairments.’” Ap lt. Opening Br. at 7 (quoting R. at 37). Relying on attachments to hi s opening brief, Mr. Rivera seems to contend there is ample evidence to establish a severe, medically determinable impairment. 6 Mr. Rivera appears to be contending th at his unspecified subjective visual disturbance was a severe medically de terminable impairment, and the ALJ erroneously determined otherwise. This argument is unavailing. As the ALJ correctly recognized, a medi cally determinable impairment “must be established by objec tive medical evidence from an acceptable medical source”; it cannot be established by a claimant’s “statement of symptoms.” 20 C.F.R. § 404.1521. But as we e xplain, Mr. Rivera’s “unsp ecified subjective visual disturbance” was based on a statement he made about his own symptoms. Although the ALJ suggested it might have been correlated with Mr. Rivera’s macular degeneration (and Mr. Rivera does not contend otherwise) , there is no evidence it was some other condition. Ra ther, the record indicates it was the label Mr. Rivera’s eye doctors used to describe th e symptoms Mr. Rivera reported.

6 Some of the attachments to Mr. Rive ra’s opening brief ar e not part of the agency record. Several documents actually post-date the ALJ’s decision. We do not consider evidence that was not part of th e record and consider ed by the agency. See Atteberry v. Finch , 424 F.2d 36, 39 (10th Cir. 1970) (e xplaining that judicial review is limited to evidence in the agency record); accord Krauser v. Astrue , 638 F.3d 1324, 1328 (10th Cir. 2011) (recognizing that if ne w evidence is presented to and rejected by the Appeals Council, it generall y “plays no role in judicial review”). Appellate Case: 22-1026 Document: 010110775558 Date Filed: 11/30/2022 Page: 89 As Mr. Rivera points out, he saw Dr. St even Witmarsh for his eye problems.
See Aplt. Opening Br. at 7. Dr. Witmarsh referred Mr. Rivera for an optometry evaluation with a “[p]rovisional [d]iagnosis ” of “[u]nspecified subjective visual disturbances.” R. at 371. The referral stated that Mr. Rivera had “a history of macular degeneration, now with persiste nt intermittent visual changes, please evaluate and treat[.]” Id. Mr. Rivera was referred to Dr. Lori Hamm, who noted the “[r]eason for [the a]ppointment” was “[u]nspecified subjectiv e visual disturbances.” Id. at 367. The note explained that on scre ening, Mr. Rivera “report[ed] getting a film that comes over [his] eyes while reading. Both eyes , intermittent frequency, and duration described as for the past 6 months.” Id. at 367-68. But the note specifically identified Mr. Rivera’s “[e]ye disorder /disease” as early age-related macular degeneration. Id. at 368. And although Mr. Rivera’s exam indicated mostly normal anatomical findings, examination of his re tina revealed abnormal macula, which was assessed as “[n]onexudative age- related macular degeneration.” Id. at 370. 7 Indeed, notwithstanding the provisi onal diagnosis of “[u]nsp ecified subjective visual disturbances,” only macular degenerati on was listed among the note’s findings. See id. at 370-71. As the agency record confirms, the objective medical evidence indicated an anatomical abnormality assess ed as macular degeneration, which the

7 The exam also detected abnormalities of the lenses , and although there were no ocular findings of cataracts, the note c oncluded there were “[m]ild cataracts,” see R. at 368, 370. At step two, the ALJ f ound that Mr. Rivera’s “bilateral cataracts” were a non-severe impairment. Id. at 36. Mr. Rivera does not challenge the ALJ’s evaluation of his cataracts. Appellate Case: 22-1026 Document: 010110775558 Date Filed: 11/30/2022 Page: 910 ALJ determined was a medically determinable impairment. The term “[u]nspecified subjective visual disturbances” was mere ly the label Dr. Witmarsh and Dr. Hamm used to describe the symp toms reported by Mr. Rivera. A statement of symptoms cannot establish a medically determinab le impairment, 20 C.F.R. § 404.1521, however. The ALJ did not err in declining to designate Mr. Rivera’s “unspecified subjective visual disturbance” a medi cally determinable impairment. Mr. Rivera’s second argumen t is also unavailing. He contends the ALJ should have found his macular degeneration was a se vere impairment. But at step two, “a claimant need only establish, and an ALJ need only find, one severe impairment,” Allman , 813 F.3d at 1330. “The reason is gr ounded in the Commis sioner’s regulation describing step two, which st ates: ‘If you do not have a severe medically determinable physical or ment al impairment or a combina tion of impairments that is severe, we will find that you are not disabled.’” Id. (quoting 20 C.F.R. § 404.1520(a)(4)(ii) (ellipses omitted)). The plain language of this regulation requires only one severe impair ment to avoid the denial of benefits at step two. Id. Thus, so long as a claimant establishes at least one severe impairment, the ALJ cannot deny benefits at st ep two and must proceed w ith the sequential evaluation process and account for the limiting effects of all impairments, even those that are

not severe. Here, the ALJ found Mr. Rivera had four other severe impairments. Under these circumstances, the ALJ appropriately proceeded with the sequential evaluation process, recognizing he was bound to “consid er any potential effects [the non-severe] Appellate Case: 22-1026 Document: 010110775558 Date Filed: 11/30/2022 Page: 1011 impairments might cause or contribute to . . . the [RFC].” R. at 37. The ALJ also considered Mr. Rivera’s sy mptoms, including his subjectiv e visual disturbance, “in evaluating the severity of [his] medi cally determinable impairments.” Id. Because the ALJ found at least one severe impair ment and proceeded with the evaluative process, the ALJ did not err in his step-two evaluation. See Allman , 813 F.3d at 1330 (“[T]he [ALJ’s] failure to fi nd a particular impairment se vere at step two is not reversible error when the ALJ finds that at least one othe r impairment is severe.”).
3. Step Four: Mr. Rivera’s RFC & the Credibility of his Pain Allegations At step four, the ALJ determined Mr. Rivera had the RFC for a reduced range of medium work that allowed him to:

 occasionally lift/carry 50 pounds a nd frequently lift/carry 25 pounds;

 stand and/or walk 6 hour s in an 8-hour workday;

 sit 6 hours in an 8-hour workday;

 never climb ladders, r opes, or scaffolds;

 frequently stoop or climb ramps and stairs;

 frequently reach, handle, finger, feel or operate hand controls with his bilateral upper extremities;

 tolerate no more than frequent expo sure to pulmonary irritants; and

 have no exposure to hazards. R. at 38. In assessing this RFC, the ALJ determined Mr. Rivera’s “impairments could reasonably be expected to cause some of the allege d symptoms; however, [his] statements concerning the intensity, pe rsistence and limiting effects of these Appellate Case: 22-1026 Document: 010110775558 Date Filed: 11/30/2022 Page: 1112 symptoms are not entirely consistent with the medical evidence and other evidence in the record.” Id. at 39. Mr. Rivera contends the ALJ improperl y discounted his allegations of neck and back pain when assessing his RFC. To better understand this contention, we explain the relationship between the ALJ’s RFC assessment and the ALJ’s evaluation of a claimant’s credibility. In the first phase of step four, an “ALJ must evaluate a cl aimant’s physical and mental [RFC].” Bowman v. Astrue , 511 F.3d 1270, 1272 (10t h Cir. 2008) (internal quotation marks omitted). A claimant’s RFC “is the most [he] can still do despite [his] limitations.” 20 C.F.R. § 404.1545(a)(1). The RFC assessment is based on all the relevant evidence, including a claima nt’s credible allegations of pain. See id. §§ 404.1529, 404.1545(a)(3). Because an ALJ’ s credibility evaluation helps “the ALJ assess a claimant’s RFC, the ALJ’s credibility and RFC determinations are inherently intertwined.” Poppa v. Astrue , 569 F.3d 1167, 1171 ( 10th Cir. 2009). We employ a deferential standard wh en reviewing an ALJ’s credibility finding. “Credibility determinations are p eculiarly the province of the finder of fact, and we will not upset such de terminations when supported by substantial evidence. However, findings as to cr edibility should be closely and affirmatively linked to substantial evidence and no t just a conclusion in the guise of findings.” Hackett , 395 F.3d at 1173 (brackets and internal quot ation marks omitted). An “ALJ must articulate specific reasons for questioning th e claimant’s credibil ity where subjective Appellate Case: 22-1026 Document: 010110775558 Date Filed: 11/30/2022 Page: 1213 pain testimony is critical.” Id. (internal quotation marks omitted). But we cannot reweigh the evidence or “substitute our judgment for that of the [ALJ].” Id. When evaluating a claimant’s allegations of pain, the ALJ mu st determine: (1) whether the claimant establis hed a pain-producing impairment by objective medical evidence; (2) if so, whether the impairment is reasonably expected to produce some pain of the sort alleged (what we term a “loose nexus”); and (3) if so, whether, considering all the evidence, both objective and subjective, the claimant’s pain was in fact disabling. Keyes-Zachary , 695 F.3d at 1166-67. Here, the ALJ recognized Mr. Rivera ha d a pain-producing impairment. This was based on diagnostic imagi ng indicating Mr. Rivera ha d progressive degenerative disc disease at the C4/5, C5 /6, and C6/7 vertebrae, with straightening of the normal lordotic curvature of the cervical spine, which might have been secondary to positioning or muscle spasm. R. at 379-80. The AL J also found Mr. Rivera’s impairments could be expected to cause so me of his symptoms, including his pain. See id. at 39. The question then became whethe r his pain was disabling. On that score, the ALJ found that Mr. Rivera’s “statement s concerning the intensity, persistence and limiting effects of [his] symptoms [were] not entirely consistent with the medical evidence and other evidence in the record.” Id. Mr. Rivera disputes this finding, but the ALJ’s an alysis was sound. An ALJ evaluating the credibility of a cl aimant’s allegations of pain should consider: a claimant’s persistent attempts to find relief for [his] pain and [his] willingness to try any treatment prescrib ed, regular use of crutches or a Appellate Case: 22-1026 Document: 010110775558 Date Filed: 11/30/2022 Page: 1314 cane, regular contact with a doc tor, and the possibility that psychological disorders combine with physical problems and the claimant’s daily activi ties, and the dosage, e ffectiveness, and side effects of medication. Keyes-Zachary , 695 F.3d at 1167 (inter nal quotation marks omitted). The ALJ must “set[] forth the specific evid ence he relies on in evaluati ng the claimant’s credibility” but need not engage in “a fo rmalistic factor-by -factor recitation of the evidence.” Qualls v. Apfel , 206 F.3d 1368, 1372 (10th Cir. 2000). We conclude the ALJ closely and affi rmatively linked his adverse credibility finding to substantial evidence in the r ecord, providing “specific reasons” for discounting the severity of Mr. Rivera ’s pain symptoms, SSR 16-3p, 2017 WL 5180304, at *10 (Oct. 25, 2017). The ALJ fi rst considered Mr. Ri vera’s medications, noting they included ibupr ofen, oxycodone, gabapen tin, and meloxicam, and recognizing the gabapentin helped his pain symptoms but “[made] him feel different.” R. at 39. Th e ALJ observed Mr. Rivera’s treatments were “generally successful,” including his use of medication. Id. at 41. The ALJ supported this finding with substantial evidence. 8 The ALJ also recognized Mr. Rivera testified that his medications helped his neck and back pain, see id. at 74, which further supports the ALJ’s decision to discount Mr. Rivera’s testimony concerning the limiting effects

8 See, e.g., id . at 443 (June 15, 2017, treatment note indicating neck pain but he was “good to go” if he took pain medicati on (internal quotati on marks omitted)); id. at 487 (July 18, 2016, treatment note con tinuing medication and adding a second medication); id. at 742 (Aug. 2, 2018, treatment note indicating pain medications were working and authorizing refill of prescriptions); id. at 750 (June 26, 2018, treatment note authorizing refi ll of pain medication). Appellate Case: 22-1026 Document: 010110775558 Date Filed: 11/30/2022 Page: 1415 of his pain symptoms, see White v. Barnhart , 287 F.3d 903, 909-10 (10th Cir. 2002) (“[Claimant’s] admission that medication re lieved some of her pain . . . further support[s] [the ALJ’s] belief that she was capable of pe rforming more extensive work activities than she acknowledged.”). The ALJ also observed Mr. Rivera testifie d his pain was alleviated with use of a TENS unit. See R. at 74 (testifying during the hearing that “the TENS unit has been really awesome”). And the ALJ expl ained Mr. Rivera bene fited from physical therapy and dry needling, see id. at 380-87 (physical th erapy notes indicating Mr. Rivera benefitted most from dry n eedling), and although he was offered a surgery for his condition at C5/6, Mr. Rive ra was unwilling to try that treatment, see id. at 64-65 (testifying during the hearing th at “when the painkillers stop working . . . or if I get to a point where I . . . can’t endure it no more . . ., then[] you can go ahead and cut me open”). The ALJ discussed Mr. Rivera’s exam ination findings, acknowledging that some treatment notes confirmed his pain symptoms. See, e.g. , id. at 443 (June 15, 2017, treatment note indicating neck pain but he was “good to go” if he took pain medication (internal quot ation marks omitted)); id. at 469 (Mar. 7, 2017, treatment note indicating neck and back symptoms an d advising him to co ntinue medication, check diagnostic imaging, and refer to physical therapy upon his request); id. at 487 (July 18, 2016, treatment note indicating neck and upper back pain to be treated with medication, heat, stretching, and massage). Yet the ALJ also recognized other exam findings were largely normal and sometimes indicated Mr . Rivera had no pain or Appellate Case: 22-1026 Document: 010110775558 Date Filed: 11/30/2022 Page: 1516 tenderness at all in his back or neck. See, e.g. , id. at 398 (Dec. 14, 2017, treatment note indicating no back pain or neck tenderness); id. at 419 (Nov. 29, 2017, treatment note indicating normal neck findings); id. at 424-25 (Oct. 30, 2017, treatment note indicating neck was normal with no back tenderness); id. at 505 (Apr. 1, 2016, treatment note indicating no d ecrease in neck suppleness). The ALJ then discussed observations ma de by Mr. Rivera’s medical providers during his examinations. The ALJ recogni zed one provider observed Mr. Rivera’s straight-leg raise test was normal. See R. at 482 (Sept. 20, 2016, treatment note indicating negative straight-leg raise tests). The ALJ al so noted another provider observed Mr. Rivera’s gait, movements, reflexes, and st rength were all normal. See id. at 412 (Dec. 14, 2017, treatment not e indicating normal findings in each category). Finally, the ALJ discounted Mr. Rivera’s allegations of pain given his “good level of daily activities.” Id. at 40. The ALJ explained Mr. Rivera had reported to a consultative examiner th at he was able to get in and out of bed, drive, bathe, cook and clean for himself, and typica lly spent his days reading. See id. at 656. The ALJ also noted Mr. Rivera completed a disabil ity report indicating he could perform his own personal care tasks, driv e, use a computer, manage his finances, do laundry, go out to eat, and attend church. Id. at 222-24. After examini ng the record as a whole, we are persuaded the ALJ closely and affi rmatively linked his credibility finding to substantial evidence, which we ha ve no authority to reweigh. See Hackett , 395 F.3d
at 1172-73. Appellate Case: 22-1026 Document: 010110775558 Date Filed: 11/30/2022 Page: 1617 III The district court’s judgment is affirmed.

Entered for the Court

Veronica S. Rossman Circuit Judge Appellate Case: 22-1026 Document: 010110775558 Date Filed: 11/30/2022 Page: 17