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Original poster

Have you ever injured your tailbone?

58 replies

Foldinthecheese · 28/02/2022 16:26

I was ice skating with my children on Wednesday and had a bad fall. I turned too quickly to get to my DD and went straight down on my arse. I actually heard someone say, “Oooooh,” so it clearly looked as bad as it felt.

It’s still very painful. Sitting hurts, obviously, but now when I’m walking there’s a constant dull pain and lots of other movements hurt, too. Google tells me that, whether it’s a bruise or a fracture, there isn’t much to be done. Is it worth seeing a doctor, or do I just carry on and anticipate it sorting itself out eventually?

OP posts:
GeneLovesJezebel · 28/02/2022 16:29

If I were you I’d go to A&E because I didn’t, I was uncomfortable for 6 weeks, and I should have gone. DH was annoyed at me for doing it when we were all ready to go out, so I didn’t want to anger him by going to A&E.

TheLovleyChebbyMcGee · 28/02/2022 16:29

I play roller derby and ince delland hurt my tailbone. Its very sore isn't it?!!!

I didn't see a doctor, I just took painkillers and got a cushion to sit on. I got a travel neck pillow and sat on that, it did help

Susu49 · 28/02/2022 16:31

I'm not sure A&e will be any use - they can't actually do anything for a broken coccyx. Go to minor injuries if any still exist near you, or a walk in clinic or your gp. Agree you need to see someone, but don't think a&e is the right place.

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Saffy321 · 28/02/2022 16:32

Yes giving birth, it was so painful every single day for weeks after - but 20 minutes with an osteopath fixed it.

CeratopsofthePharoahs · 28/02/2022 16:33

I have done the exact same thing as you, op. It was initially sore, but by the following day it was quite an intense pain. Some googling showed me that the treatment is rest and painkillers unless there are any other symptoms of more damage so I got used to sitting on a heat pad. It took six weeks to feel better.
And the most annoying thing? All that pain and there wasn't even a bruise.

MaddieElla · 28/02/2022 16:33

My DD had the exact same ice skating incident last July and I'm sorry to say she still has pain now. 😥

We did see a doctor eventually as it just wasn't getting better and we thought it might be more than bruising. She did have a clear MRI but we have another appointment to discuss what the problem is/physio.

It's a hard one because although it's very painful (you can see she's in discomfort when sitting in the car or sitting for prolonged periods of time) there isn't much they can do.

Fingers crossed for you that it doesn't take long to feel better. 🤞

BlanketsBanned · 28/02/2022 16:34

An xray would rule out a fractured coxyxx or pubic rami

Dontbeamugallyourlifesucker · 28/02/2022 16:34

Oh yesSad at school 30+years ago.. Went to sit down in the school hall and someone thought it was a joke to pull the seat away Sad. So painful and years later Istill have a sore spot there.

Original poster
Foldinthecheese · 28/02/2022 16:34

I wouldn’t go to A&E. I’m actually not in the UK, so could go easily go to a local urgent care place.

I am a bit worried about how long it will take to heal. It’s really painful.

OP posts:
MintJulia · 28/02/2022 16:39

Yes, I slipped getting off a horse and landed on my tailbone on tarmac.
I shocked my spine, sitting was painful for a while, but I also couldn't lift my arms above breast height for a few days, making cleaning my teeth or washing my face a bit of a nightmare. Confused
It passed in a week.

Original poster
Foldinthecheese · 28/02/2022 16:40

That’s awful, Dontbeamug!

Sorry to hear your daughter is still suffering, Maddie. I’m supposed to be having a ski lesson on Sunday and am wondering if that’s a terrible idea.

OP posts:
Tidypidy · 28/02/2022 16:41

I did similar at school about 30 years ago. Had physio for a while which helped no end.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 28/02/2022 16:42

I’d see someone - now.
I slipped down a flight of stairs abs banged my coccyx when I was 15. I’m in my 50s now and it still niggles.

JudyGemstone · 28/02/2022 16:44

My daughter did, it tooks months to fully go away but it did eventually

grapehyacinthisactuallyblue · 28/02/2022 16:44

I have. Fell from the stairs, landed on my bottom. I couldn't move at least for a week.

indigoemerald · 28/02/2022 16:45

Yes, twice when I was a child, both times involved roller blades Hmm it was obviously many years ago now, but I can still remember the feeling and the pain! I was carted off to A&E but aside from paracetamol they weren’t able to do much. The pain lessened after about a week or so.

AdditionalCharacter · 28/02/2022 16:47

I injured my coccyx 30ish years ago when I was hopping on a space hopper and someone kicked it from under me just as was coming down and I cracked it off the concrete floor. Took my breathe away at the time. Was bruised for weeks but my parents didn't take me to A+E because they had both been drinking at a party Hmm. I can remember being bruised for ages and it being painful to sit. Haven't got any problems now, apart from sciatica which is probably unrelated.

Oblomov22 · 28/02/2022 16:48

I fell down the stairs. Landed right on my tailbone. Really hurt myself. Struggled to sit down, even with ring cushion for first 3 days.

bumpytrumpy · 28/02/2022 16:50

I fell down the stairs when getting up to a crying baby. Sheer agony for a long time. I didn't get medical attention but I should have. You should go and get checked, nothing to lose.

Susu49 · 28/02/2022 16:50

@Foldinthecheese

I wouldn’t go to A&E. I’m actually not in the UK, so could go easily go to a local urgent care place.

I am a bit worried about how long it will take to heal. It’s really painful.

Definitely to an urgent care clinic then - and before you go skiing :)

If you've broken your coccyx then there will be soft tissue injury too. They can sort out pain relief and arrange physiotherapy.

There are lots of cushions you can sit on for tailbone relief - donut ones, or wedge shapes. Cousin is a physio and recommends sitting with a rolled up towel shaped into a donut and then using as a cushion.

General rule of thumb is 6 weeks for fractures to heal, but soft tissue can take a bit longer or less. I think coccyx injuries always leave a bit of tenderness behind but physiotherapy is key to a good recovery - good idea to see someone who specialises in that site, some women break tailbone during labour so physios who specialise exist but can also really make a difference.

You'll have jarred the rest of your spine too so might be feeling a bit shaky? Flowers

Barneysma2 · 28/02/2022 16:54

Yes. I fell down the stairs- from top to bottom, I smashed onto every step on the way down and landed on my tail bone on every step. It all happened so fast I didnt have time to stop myself sliding down. When i landed at the bottom I felt sick and went to the sofa and had to lie on my front the pain was horrendous, It took WEEKS and i mean weeks for the pain to ease - I am convinced I fractured it but never sought medical help. Even now, months and months down the line if I sit on a hard chair for too long without a cushion it hurts when i get back up. I think rest and time is all you can really do to help it.

PenguindreamsofDraco · 28/02/2022 17:02

Yep, broke it rollerskating, also with onlookers audibly ouching for me. It felt like childbirth again, that intense downwards pressure. They couldn't do anything for it though, I just had to take paracetamol and wince a lot.
11 years later I've got arthritis there which is also bloody painful.

Kyiv · 28/02/2022 17:04

I have, hitting a deep pothole in the road while seated on a bicycle. It was so jarring and instantly something felt not right, but it wasn't until a few hours later that I was almost in tears with the pain.... and I didn't really do anything about it! I called the dr and said I was worried about a fracture- they said it was probably a bruise that could hurt for a few months. For months and months I could get a white hot pain shoot through the bone when I sat down or got up and it ached constantly. Sometimes turning over in bed would wake me up with the pain and I would cry. But I didn't want to go back to the dr as they said it was a bruise and made me feel a bit ridiculous for thinking it was a fracture: Eventually it died down after just over a year. I had an X-ray done after giving birth and they mentioned I'd had a bad break to the tailbone which looked like it had taken a long time to heal as it wasn't very neat.

cheeseislife8 · 28/02/2022 17:07

I did it as a teenager, also ice skating. It seemed to take forever at the time, but I've luckily never had any issues with it since. It's a horrible pain, I feel for you

workwoes123 · 28/02/2022 17:11

DH fell down some stairs on his bum, it never really stopped hurting, then recently he hurt it again. This time he went to the Dr / X-ray / mri scan (we are not in the uk) and it turns out he has dislocated it - not broken it. So it will never stop being really really painful unless he has it treated. Osteopathy seems to be the best option but it’s hard to find one that does this particular treatment as it probably involves ‘internal’ manipulation 😬. But he needs to get it sorted, he’s in a lot of pain and doesn’t want to take painkillers all the time, forever.