Can a broken coxxyc be fixed?

[Em308]

At the beginning of May I fell down some stairs, I took the full weight of the fall on my tailbone, bouncing down several steps on my bum. It was incredibly painful. Walking was fine but sitting on any kind of chair was agony, getting up even more so. The pain plateaued at about 4 weeks and since then has remained the same. I am still in a huge amount of pain when sitting, whether it’s a hard or soft chair. At first I presumed my tailbone was badly bruised but after 14 weeks and still so much pain I have to consider it’s broken. I’ve used at home remedies and am going to see a doctor soon, but Dr Google doesn’t fill me with confidence that there’s anything a doctor can do. Has anyone had such an injury and eventually become pain free / healed? What treatment did a doctor offer? Any advice much appreciated.

I broke mine a couple of years ago falling off a horse.

If i remember right i spent a LONG time only able to sit down on an inflatable rubber ring 🙄

At a family meal out also.

My GP said it would heal o. it's own and it did eventually.

Do still see yours though obvs 💐

I 'broke' mine a year ago. It was never confirmed as broken but pretty certain it was/is. It still aches when sitting down for long periods of time especially in the car.

This happened to me, also from falling heavily down the stairs. It was excruciating for months. I couldnt sit at all initially, so working and driving impossible. When driving became possible, any minor bump in the road was unbearable.

That was 2006. Now, Im in pain if I sit for too long and upon transfer of weight from sitting to standing - twinge as I get up but it then stops straight away. I can't sit on hard surfaces - hurts too much after a few minutes. Im really careful what sports etc I do as I don't want to aggravate it. I forgot and went rolling skating with a friend's daughter. I fell backwards onto coccyx - it took my breath away. Luckily no extra damage.

You will get better OP but my experience is that it niggles

I probably broke mine about 20 years ago. I remember it took a good year before sitting for long periods stopped hurting or aching.

I'm also now dealing with chronic pain in that region that is probably related.

Sorry I can't give you better news.

It took me a year before I was properly comfortable, sitting down.
It was also so painful as I rose from seated to stand up. Excruciating for absolutely ages.
I’m so sorry not to offer better news.

Sitting in the car is the worst pain for me at the moment also.

I've done my mine twice in the last 10 years. Honestly it's never recovered 100%, though there are periods when it improves. I use a special cushion with a cut out at the back at work as I find it uncomfortable to sit for long periods, but I don't get the agony on lowering myself or rising from seated anymore. Gosh that's serious pain.

Pelvic floor exercises may help.

I badly bruised/?broke my coccyx a few years ago. Had to check at minor injuries on the day but there was nothing they could do, as you’re already aware.

It took probably a goodcouple of years to completely heal. I no longer get any twinges, aches or pains even when I’ve been sat down for a long time.

A chiro helped mine. Each treatment helped and then it took a while to get completely better after that.

I really think you need to get properly checked, after a break you can get an infection so you need to rule that out. Once that is done I would see a physiotherapist.

And depending on your age you might need a DEXA scan.

Broke mine 10 years ago, probably a good 3 years before I was pain free on sitting. Needed painkillers for about 3 months. I rubbed arnica on, no idea if it really helped but the rubbing soothed it

Also broke mine, the dr said they don’t x ray that area but pain was suggestive of break.

Sadly it took almost 2 years to feel anywhere near normal again. No treatment as far as I’m aware.

I wasn’t aware you can get an infection after a break. This concerns me a bit as the pain has actually got worse in the last 4 weeks and one of my butt cheeks is sore which I just presumed was a pulled muscle.

Just realised how badly wrong I’ve spelt coccyx 😳

You are not going to like this but I broke mine when I was around 12yo. It hurt to sit down for a few years! Then eased off, however, over the subsequent several decades it’s occasionally given me slight pain on occasion and it still doesn’t like it when I have to sit for great lengths of time.

I broke mine in 2014. I'd say for a solid year afterwards I had to be careful what sort of chair I sat in. Anything even faintly reclining, so putting pressure on my tailbone, was absolute agony. Getting up afterwards especially. Chairs in theatres and cinemas were the worst by far.
11 years later, it still twinges occasionally, especially if I've been sat for more than a couple of hours, but more just achy than actually painful. I've had to accept that it'll probably never be 100% better.

I’ve done mine as well, whats helping me is a cushion designed for pressure sores, I then have one of those jml style office seat cushions to sit on in the car. But wherever I can I sit forward, so my weight is more over my thighs. I’m also seeing a physio as they said it can lead to hip/knee/ankle injuries due to walking odd to avoid pain.

I fell off a skateboard as a teenager; pain in my coccyx was excruciating, so I ended up having an x-ray which confirmed I had knocked it inwards and upwards (if that makes sense?!). It is common to knock it out to either side. I was told the best remedy was for an osteopath to put his finger up my bottom and click it back. At that at age, I said absolutely not! Anyway, osteopath continued to work on my lower back (externally!) and one day there was a loud click, and he confirmed that was my coccyx going back to its rightful position! No pain thereafter!

It hurts for bloody ages.

Several years on and I can't sit on hard surfaces (including wooden chairs or benches) for any length of time. But - overall it does get much better.

Pilates helped me, with a focus on the pelvic area.

For driving, roll up a hand or bath towel and place under your thighs, makes a big difference, or you can buy a wedge shaped coccyx cushion.

My coccyx was fused in an RTA when I was 20. I was in huge amounts of pain and had to drop out of the course I was studying as a result. It took me months before I could sit comfortably again, and it remained swollen (visible when wearing leggings) for at least a year.
Since then, it’s only caused me problems during childbirth. And as I’m not going to do that again, I’m hoping I’ve got away with it.

Just to reassure you, you aren’t at risk of getting an infection after a normal break (fractures that cause the bone to break through the skin yes). Also a fall down a flight of stairs resulting in a coccyx fracture would not indicate a DEXA scan is necessary.

you could speak to your GP about pain relief if you felt OTC wasn’t helping. there’s not much else that would be necessary at this point - as others point out, it takes an awfully long time for this to settle - sorry!

An osteopath can reposition it (involves rectal manipulation) didn’t have it done as found this out years later and the pain was tolerable by then

Oh ouch op, I am also suffering a sore tailbone but annoyingly don’t remember doing anything to injure it!
even more infuriatingly, it started hurting around Christmas time and hasn’t really changed or got better (or worse!) - I don’t have any advice but sending a lot of sympathy!!