6 Simple Steps to Decrease Tailbone Pain When Sitting

Could the way you sit be increasing your tailbone and pelvic pain? Something as simple as sitting can be done incorrectly, and cause even more pain.

Let’s do a quick check to see if you are following these easy ‘sitting’ guidelines:

• Do not sit crooked. Sitting applies pressure directly on the coccyx. Naturally, if you are trying to take the pressure off the painful spot you try to sit sideways on one hip or maybe even with one leg tucked under you. While it may provide temporary pressure relief, this twist in your pelvic joints and spine actually causes muscle spasm and pain to spread. To do this with a tailbone injury you will need to invest in a cushion or only sit in chairs that are comfortable for you.
• Sit with a cushion. The correct cushion should support your pelvis and thighs, but have a groove or opening by your tailbone. Most of my patients report that they prefer firmer cushions. If the cushion is too soft, you will sink into it with the cushion molding up around the tailbone, defeating its’ purpose.
• Never use a doughnut cushion for tailbone injuries. Doughnut cushions have the hole in the wrong place. In order to rest your tailbone in the center of this horribly popular cushion, you have to sit forward, balancing on the very front of the ring. This causes your low back to arch backwards. This will undoubtedly lead to low back to throb along with your tailbone.
• Sit straight and tall with your shoulders back.    If you find that you cannot hold this position on your own, a lumbar roll cushion can help hold you in that position during your day. With the proper lumbar curve (lordosis) your body naturally tips the tailbone up off the chair.
• Keep your legs uncrossed. When crossing your legs, you are twisting your pelvic muscles which can cause more imbalances in your pelvis and increase your tailbone pain.
• Never sit more than 20 minutes at a time. Your body was made to move. It is not good for it to sit all day long, especially if you are recovering from a tailbone injury. Get up, walk around, and stretch! If you find this hard to remember, set a timer to get you moving.

Tailbone injuries affect every aspect of daily living. If your pain isn’t relieved with these simple lifestyle changes,  you may need to consider coccyx manipulation to restore the normal motion of the SacroCoccygeal joint. Midwest Tailbone Treatment Center is here to help. Visit our website for more information on our non-surgical approach to relieving tailbone pain!

Author Info

Laura Posl, D.C.