Tailbone pain, also known as coccydynia, can be a frustrating and uncomfortable experience. Unlike an obvious injury like a sprained ankle, tailbone pain often seems to appear out of nowhere, leaving you confused but no less in pain. For many adults, especially office workers who spend long hours at a desk, tailbone pain can disrupt daily life.
Fortunately, our physical therapists can often help you understand the cause of tailbone pain and relieve it more quickly than just waiting for it to get better on its own.
Finding relief after tailbone injury
The tailbone is a highly sensitive area of the body. In some cases, an injury might not seem that bad at first, or you may not even remember it happening. It could be something as simple as sitting down too hard on a firm surface. Even minor bumps like this can lead to bruising and inflammation that can take hours or even days to get really bad.
So for many people with sudden, unexplained tailbone pain, it’s often due to a minor injury that you may have forgotten about—that is, until the pain arrives. These injuries can resolve on their own, but knowing how long is “normal” for a tailbone injury is helpful to know whether you need to seek additional help.
How long does a bruised tailbone take to heal?
Some tailbone injuries result in a bruise, whether you can see it visibly through the skin or not. As you may be able to guess, the more substantial the injury, the longer it will likely take to heal. Tailbone pain often goes away on its own after a few days, up to two weeks. Aggravating the injury can extend this recovery time.
Even with professional care, tailbone pain won’t go away overnight. However, it’s important to keep an eye on your pain level over time, seeking help when it has been several weeks with no improvement or worsened pain.
Why does my tailbone hurt without injury?
The tailbone’s sensitivity and critical support function means that you can injure your tailbone without even realizing it. Surprisingly, simple habits or environmental factors could be the real culprits. For example, sitting for extended periods, especially on hard or unsupportive chairs, can put a significant amount of pressure on your tailbone. This can eventually result in tailbone pain, even if there was no direct trauma.
A factor related to your furniture is your posture. Slouching or leaning significantly far back while seated can shift excess weight onto the tailbone, leading to soreness over time. Similarly, changing to a new office chair, working in an ergonomically improper setup, or adopting a new sitting position can result in tailbone pain.
If this sounds familiar, reevaluating your seating habits and workspace ergonomics is a great first step toward relieving tailbone pain and preventing it from happening in the future.
When sitting in a certain position
Have you noticed your tailbone hurting after sitting cross-legged or in a lotus position during yoga or while working on the floor? This discomfort often comes down to prolonged pressure or uneven weight distribution on the coccyx. Even when sitting on cushioned surfaces, staying in the same position for a long time can strain the tailbone and surrounding ligaments.
Desk chairs without proper padding or ergonomic support can exacerbate this problem, as can sitting for long periods on couches, stools, or other non-ideal seats.
To help prevent tailbone pain caused by sitting, make it a point to:
- Sit on ergonomically designed chairs with good lumbar and coccyx support
- Use a pressure-relieving cushion, such as a donut or coccyx cushion
- Shift positions or stand up every 30–60 minutes to give your tailbone a break
Small changes can often make a big difference in reducing discomfort over time.
Why does my tailbone hurt after sit-ups?
Doing sit-ups puts direct pressure on your coccyx repeatedly. It may not be the first thought, but tailbone pain is a common symptom for those who exercise on hard, non-cushioned surfaces, such as wooden floors or thin gym mats.
To avoid tailbone pain while continuing to work out:
- Use a thick, high-quality exercise mat to cushion your tailbone
- Consider switching to modified-ab workouts that don’t require putting pressure directly on the tailbone
- If pain persists, reduce or skip the specific exercises causing discomfort until you’ve fully recovered
Regularly stretching and strengthening your lower back and hips may help minimize stress on your tailbone during workouts.
Relief from persistent tailbone pain through physical therapy
Sometimes, tailbone pain becomes persistent and frustrating despite making adjustments to your routine. At this point, it may be time to seek professional support. It’s possible that your tailbone pain may be caused by underlying issues, such as tight or imbalanced pelvic floor muscles, inflammation, or spinal alignment problems that a physical therapist can diagnose and treat.
At Therapydia, our experienced therapists tailor every person’s treatment to their unique needs. Whether that means guided stretches, strengthening exercises, or posture correction, we’ll work with you to reduce pain, restore mobility, and enhance comfort. Start a conversation with our team by calling a nearby clinic or requesting an appointment online today.
