What is Tailbone Pain And How Physiotherapy Can Help?

What is Tailbone Pain And How Physiotherapy Can Help?

The tailbone is a triangular bone structure that is located on the lowest point of the spine. Due to the location, it is more prone to injury when an individual falls on their bottom.

Tailbone pain can be caused due to a slip or any sudden impact. These seemingly minor injuries or accidents can lead to significant problems with the tailbone.

When you experience pain in the tailbone, other supporting ligaments also become stiff. This can create difficulty with defecation, walking, running, and sitting. Not everyone faces a sharp pain in the tailbone at the time of the incident. It can start with a dull ache and possibly difficulty in sitting and maintaining one position for an extended period of time. If the pain is ignored, it may turn into throbbing or shooting pain. Physiotherapists and healthcare professionals refer to this condition as coccydynia. The tailbone pain can also impact the lower back and turn into chronic pain. When this occurs, it is difficult to self determine whether the pain you are facing is due to coccydynia or lower back issues.

The best option is to be assessed by a chiropractor or physiotherapist to determine whether the root of the pain is from the lower back or tailbone.

According to chiropractors and physiotherapists, coccydynia is a type of pain that results in patients having excessive discomfort and constant pain in the bottom. The coccyx, or tailbone, is a small bone structure (smaller than the sacrum) that has a vital role in balance and stability while seated due to weight distribution between itself and the bottom of the two hip bones.

Common Reasons Behind Tailbone Pain or Coccydynia Local Trauma: This happens due to the direct impact on the tailbone. This is considered to be one of the most common causes of coccydynia. Direct injury to the coccyx can cause inflammation and damage to the supporting ligaments.

Repetitive Strain Injury: Generally, athletes or gymnasts suffer from such injuries. During performances or sporting events, immense pressure builds up on the tailbone over time. If this is ignored for a prolonged period, it will cause pain in the tailbone.

Pregnancy Or Childbirth: During childbirth and pregnancy, the woman’s coccygeal area (including the supporting ligament, discs, as well as bones) is under a lot of pressure. This may lead to sharp pain in the area between the sacrum and coccyx.

Referred Coccyx Pain: Such coccyx pain is uncommon. In this condition, an individual suffers from pain, not due to a fall or sprain but, due to issues with degenerative discs or misalignment in the spine, which can cause pain in the tailbone.

Treatment For Coccyx Pain

Physiotherapists are highly effective in providing treatment for such conditions. During your initial visit, they will educate you on bone structure and posture. For treating coccydynia, the physiotherapist may recommend you make use of a supporting cushion or wedge pillows.

These cushions will provide support to the coccygeal region by relieving pressure on the area. Once the pressure is reduced, 3 basic treatments can be employed to manage or even rid pain.

Mobilizations: In this technique, the physiotherapist focuses on realigning the posture of the coccyx. This technique is favorable when a patient wishes to increase coccygeal mobility.

Spinal Manipulation: This strategy is helpful in providing relief from the pain through manual manipulation of the coccyx, supporting tissues, and ligaments.

With effective manual manipulation, the physiotherapist can adjust the coccyx and the sacrum.

Soft Tissue Release: After these techniques, the physiotherapist may use a soft tissue release technique, which may be similar to massage in a localized area.

This can help you recover from pain at a faster rate.

Summary

Now you know about the condition called coccydynia, common causes, and how physiotherapy can be an effective treatment option. If you find yourself with pain on or around the tailbone, consult a physiotherapist as soon as possible.