Tail Bone Pain Exercises
1. Single-leg knee hug – This stretches the piriformis and the iliopsoas muscles, both of which can become tight and limit mobility in the pelvis. The piriformis originates from the tailbone and can irritate the sciatic nerve if it becomes inflamed. Gently increasing the stretch over time will allow the range of movement to expand.
- Lie down on the back.
- Bend one knee toward the chest.
- Extend the feet straight out, if tolerable.
- Hold onto the bent knee and pull it gently down into the chest.
- Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.
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Is walking good for tailbone pain?
Yes. Standing up and walking around decreases pressure on your coccyx, reducing pain.
Why does my tailbone bone hurt?
What causes tailbone pain? – The most common causes of coccyx pain are falls and arthritis. Impact injuries, childbirth, exercise, cycling, horseback riding, excessive sitting, bone spurs, nerve damage, or infection can also lead to tailbone pain. Women are more prone to tailbone injuries than men.
- The female body structure has a wider pelvic area to accommodate childbirth.
- This exposes the coccyx and makes it more susceptible to injury.
- When the coccyx is injured, a person may feel a dull or stabbing pain at once.
- The area may remain tender to the touch and cause discomfort for weeks after injury.
The level of discomfort can range from an irritating throbbing sensation to intense sharp pain that limits movement. A severe coccyx injury may also cause pain during bowel movements or intercourse. Even sitting can cause pain. A person may need to change positions often, lean forward, or use a donut pillow and avoid sitting on hard surfaces to avoid putting pressure on the tailbone.
Will tailbone pain go away?
How you can ease tailbone (coccyx) pain yourself – Tailbone (coccyx) pain may improve after a few weeks, but it can sometimes last longer. There are some things you can do to help ease the pain.
How do I know if tailbone pain is serious?
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We do the research so you can find trusted products for your health and wellness. Treatment for tailbone pain can depend on the severity of the injury and may include medication, physical therapy, stretching, and surgery. You probably never gave your tailbone a single thought until it started to hurt.
Tailbone pain is centered at the very bottom of your spine, right above your buttocks, where this multisegmented bone sits. The tailbone is small, but it does have a few important jobs. It helps stabilize you when you sit. Also, many tendons, muscles, and ligaments run through the area. Your doctor might call your tailbone by its medical name: “coccyx.” The word comes from the Greek term for “cuckoo.” The name was given to the tailbone because the coccyx looks a lot like the beak of a bird.
Pain in your coccyx is called coccydynia. Pain from an injured tailbone can range from mild to intense. The pain can get worse when you sit down, stand up from a chair, or when you lean back while sitting. You can also feel soreness when you use the bathroom or have sex.
Women may feel discomfort during their period. Sometimes, the pain can shoot all the way down your legs. Standing or walking should relieve the pressure on your tailbone and ease discomfort. Your tailbone might have started hurting after sitting on a hard bench or other uncomfortable surface for a long period of time.
Falls and other traumas can bruise, dislocate, or break your tailbone. Joint damage from repetitive motions or general wear and tear from aging can also contribute to tailbone pain. During the last trimester of pregnancy, the ligaments connected to and around the coccyx naturally loosen to make room for the baby.
That’s why women are about five times more likely than men to experience tailbone pain. You’re also more prone to tailbone problems if you’re overweight. However, if you lose the weight quickly, you’ll lose the padding that protects your tailbone and may be more likely to injure it. In rare cases, the cause of coccyx pain may be an infection or tumor.
See your doctor if the pain is severe or lasts more than a few days. Most of the time, tailbone pain isn’t serious. It can sometimes be a sign of an injury. In very rare cases, tailbone pain can be a sign of cancer, You may get an X-ray or MRI scan to look for signs of injury, such as a bone fracture or a tumor pressing on the bone.
- X-rays may be taken both sitting and standing to show possible problems with your tailbone in different positions.
- The doctor will also feel around the area for any growths that might be putting pressure on your coccyx.
- The pain should go away in a few weeks, but it may sometimes be months.
- You can try over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to relieve discomfort until your tailbone heals.
These drugs include ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) or naproxen (Aleve). Acetaminophen (Tylenol) also can relieve pain. For more severe pain, your doctor can inject a local anesthetic, nerve block, or steroid medicine into the area. Some people get a combination of anesthetic and steroid injections.
- You can also take an antidepressant or antiseizure medication by mouth to ease the pain.
- Be sure to discuss your treatment options with your doctor.
- To ease discomfort, sit on a heating pad or ice pack, or go for a massage.
- The way you sit also matters.
- Poor posture can put too much pressure on your coccyx.
Sit with your back against the chair and your feet flat on the floor to take the weight off your tailbone. Lean forward when you go to sit down. You can also sit on a special donut-shaped pillow or wedge-shaped cushion to relieve pressure on the sensitive area.
A physical therapist can show you exercises to strengthen the muscles that support your tailbone. These include your stomach muscles and pelvic floor, You can also try a technique called coccygeal manipulation. This is when a doctor inserts a gloved finger in your rectum and moves the tailbone back and forth to shift it back into position.
Most of the time, these treatments will relieve your pain until your tailbone heals. If no treatment has worked, your doctor might recommend surgery as a last resort to remove part or all of the coccyx. This procedure is called a coccygectomy. Surgery doesn’t always work right away.
It can take time before the pain goes away. In some cases, it doesn’t work at all. Surgery can also carry risks, like infection. Whether or not to have surgery is a decision that you need to make very carefully with your doctor. Start with home pain-relief measures like NSAIDs, heat, and massage. If your tailbone still hurts, check in with your doctor, who can help you find a treatment that works for you.
While there’s no instant cure for tailbone pain, some exercises and stretches can help relieve the pressure that causes tailbone pain. Various yoga poses can be wonderful for stretching out the muscles and ligaments connected to the tailbone. Pregnant women with tailbone pain can also benefit from stretching.
