La Verne Doctor Treats Tailbone Pain (Coccydynia) – Do you ever feel pressure in your lower back? Pain in your tailbone? If so, you may be suffering from coccydynia. Coccydynia is pain in or around your coccyx, or better known as your tailbone (the bony structure at the bottom of the spine).
The good news is, generally speaking, tailbone pain (coccydynia) isn’t usually due to an underlying disease. Rather, it arises from simple lifestyle habits and/or trauma?
For example, have you injured your tailbone at some point? Do you sit for prolonged periods of time? Do you tend to sit in the wrong position? Do you sit on an unpadded seat? Do you bicycle a lot? Have you given birth to a child? Any of these can create pressure and / or cause pain in your lower spine. And unfortunately for women, tailbone pain is more common among females than males.
That said, there is hope! Recent studies shows spinal decompression therapy, as well as exercises which increase thoracic spine mobility and stretch the piriformis and iliopsoas muscles in the buttocks and hips are found to be quite beneficial. Which is great news, given the importance of how your tailbone assists in walking, running, moving the legs, defecation, and also in supporting the vaginal areas, as the pelvic floor muscles insert into the tailbone.
So what kind of exercises can you do at home if you suffer from tailbone pain? Well, five exercises to give a shot are as follows:
1) Single leg knee hug – Lie on your back and pull one knee towards your chest while your other leg is extended straight out. Hold this for 30 seconds and then switch sides.
2) Cross leg stretch, also known as thread and needle – Lie on your back and raise your knees to the ceiling. Then, place your right ankle on the top of your left thigh, and with your hands looped around the left thigh, gently pull your left thigh towards your chest. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds and then switch sides.
3) Kneeling psoas stretch – Kneel on the floor with one leg and place your other leg at a right angle. Then, with your back straight and tailbone tucked under as you squeeze your glutes, push your hips forward until you feel the stretch. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds and then switch sides.
4) Kneel and twist – Start in the same position as the kneeling psoas stretch, but raise your arms out to shoulder height. Then, rotate your torso to one side until your arms are almost aligned with your legs. Rotate about 4 to 5 times each side, making sure you only turn as much as possible without suffering from further pain.
5) Pigeon pose – A common yoga pose on the floor as if you were going to do the splits, but have one leg extended straight out behind you and the other leg bent with your thigh sitting on the floor. Make sure the leg which is straightened out behind you has your toes pressed on the floor and your back thigh rotated inward.
Hope these descriptions help, but it may be easier to look them up on Google or YouTube for full video demonstrations.
Furthermore, as with all exercises and stretches, do not extend past a range of motion which causes pain or injury. ALSO, although these exercises can help, it’s important to contact Dr. Mehr at our La Verne chiropractric office for an examination if you are suffering from tailbone pain coccydynia! We accept most private insurances and offer easy monthly payment options.