One can get social security disability benefits due to inability to sit for long periods due to pain from a herniated lumbar disc. This is not an unusual situation in those with disc pain. Along with back pain due to a herniated disc causing problems with walking, sitting can be a significant problem preventing you from ability to perform your job duties.
When you apply for social security disability, you are asked to gather all your medical records which will then be reviewed by doctors and other disability specialists at the state disability office.
The medical records must be quite clear and specific on this point since social security places great emphasis on your ability to sit over an 8 hour work day. To stress this fact, your doctor should state by letter that you cannot sit for more than a few minutes with need to get up and then sit down again. In reality, there are essentially no jobs that one can do with this impairment. Also, it is not enough that your doctor thinks you have a herniated disc. You must have an MRI of your spine to prove that you have degenerative disc disease. In addition, you should state that your inability to sit for long periods interferes with your daily activities such as difficulty sitting while eating at home, watching TV or a movie.
Many individuals applying for disability frequently mention their back pain interfering with their ability to walk, but fail to describe problems with sitting for long periods of time. In general, a person who cannot sit for say over 10 to 15 minutes would have problems performing about any job.