In this article, we explain the tailbone stretches that people can use to relieve pain. People will typically have coccydynia , or persistent tailbone pain, when they are sitting or when something is putting pressure on the lower spine. Sitting in the wrong position, falling backward, childbirth, and hypermobility can all injure the bone itself or the surrounding tissue and muscles. Tailbone pain is more common in females than in males. In addition to relieving the pain of coccydynia, treatment should reduce inflammation and ease muscle tension.
A recent study found that people with coccydynia benefited from performing exercises to increase thoracic spine mobility and to stretch the piriformis and iliopsoas muscles in the buttocks and hips. 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.
This stretches the piriformis as well as the glutes. The glutes are attached to the tailbone and walking or running can cause them to pull on it. The iliopsoas refers to the joined iliacus and psoas muscles. These hip muscles help the hip to flex. Stretching them can help to relieve tailbone pain as they often become stiff with prolonged sitting. The kneel and twist exercise stretches the iliopsoas while also improving mobility through the lower back.
A tight, immobile lower back can lead to lower back pain. It helps stabilize you when you sit. Also, many tendons, muscles, and ligaments run through the area. 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. 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.
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.
Tailbone pain from childbirth is often caused by bone bruise or ligament strain. Sometimes, though, the tailbone can fracture. Degenerative Joint Disease: Wear and tear from repetitive motions can cause osteoarthritis. This is a degenerative disease that can affect any joint in the body. Tailbone pain is usually caused by injury. The injury can happen suddenly or as a result of repetitive activities. It may also be degenerative. Unique Coccyx Morphology: Not everyone has the same number of tailbone bones.
Some people also have a bone spur on the lowest tip of the tailbone. A bone spur is a small, bony growth. A bone spur can irritate the tailbone area when you sit down. It can pinch the skin and the fatty tissue between the spur and the chair. Some experts say scoliosis is a possible cause of tailbone pain. This is an abnormal curve in the spine. Nerve Pain: The ganglion impar is a bundle of nerves. It is located in front of the upper part of the tailbone.
Overactivity or irritation of these nerves may cause long term tailbone pain. Pelvic Floor Muscle Spasms: The tailbone is where a deep layer of pelvic floor muscles attach. Pelvic floor muscles help support many of your body's internal organs. Muscle spasms and irritation of these muscles can cause levator ani syndrome. This is a condition that causes a dull, aching pain. This pain is often felt in the tailbone. It may also be felt in the rectum, or the last few inches of your large intestine.
Sometimes, bone spurs on the tailbone can cause pain. The pain may also be caused by nerve problems or problems with the pelvic floor muscles. You may have referred pain to your tailbone. This means the pain feels like it is coming from your tailbone when it's really coming from another part of your body. Conditions that may refer pain to the tailbone include:. If your pain is caused by DDD, you won't have tenderness in your tailbone.
Pelvic Organ Diseases: Pelvic organ disease may refer pain to the tailbone. Examples include:. Proctalgia Fugax : This is severe but fleeting episodes of rectal pain. It can be caused by pudendal nerve compression. Your pudendal nerve is the main nerve of your perineum. This is the area between your tailbone and a joint called the pubic symphysis. Other causes of tailbone pain are less common. Still, these causes can be dangerous. They require urgent medical attention. Cancer: In rare instances, a tumor can spread to the tailbone.
This may happen with certain cancers such as:. When this happens, the tumor may cause tailbone pain. Primary bone tumors may also occur on the tailbone or in the tailbone area. A primary tumor is a tumor that happens on its own and is not the result of cancer spread.
This is also rare. Infection: An infection may also cause tailbone pain. A pilonidal cyst is an example of this kind of infection. The infection can cause:.
A bone infection called osteomyelitis may also cause tailbone pain. This kind of bone infection can begin with a pressure ulcer. These ulcers form when long term pressure limits blood flow to the area. Signs may include:. Your medical history will help your doctor find the cause of your pain. Let your doctor know about any falls or other accidents that involved your tailbone. If your pain came on gradually, a physical exam might be necessary.
During your exam your doctor will look for:. Your doctor may also press on your tailbone. If the area is tender, it could mean there's a fracture. Your doctor may also decide to do a rectal exam. During this exam, the doctor inserts a lubricated, gloved finger into your anus and grasps your tailbone between thumb and forefinger. This helps the doctor evaluate the range of motion in the joint and ligaments. It can also reveal tenderness in the area. Sometimes, but not always, x-rays can identify a tailbone injury.
These x-rays may be done while you're standing and sitting down. This can help find the extent of the injury. While it was originally thought that the coccyx is always fused together, it is now known that the coccyx is not one solid bone, but there is some limited movement between the bones permitted by fibrous joints and ligaments.
See Sacrum Sacral Region. The coccyx connects with the sacrum through the sacrococcygeal joint, and there is normally limited movement between the coccyx and the sacrum. The coccyx usually moves slightly forward or backward as the pelvis, hips, and legs move. When a person sits or stands, the bones that make up the pelvis including the coccyx rotate outward and inward slightly to better support and balance the body.
See Sacroiliac Joint Anatomy. Although the tailbone is considered vestigial or no longer necessary in the human body, it does have some function in the pelvis.
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