Tailbone trauma

Backward falls onto a hard surface, such as a slippery floor or ice, are the most common cause of this injury.

Actual fractures of the tailbone (coccyx) are not common. Tailbone trauma usually involves bruising of the bone or pulling of the ligaments.

Tailbone trauma is an injury to the small bone at the lower tip of the spine.

Keys to preventing tailbone trauma include:

• DO NOT run on slippery surfaces, such as around a swimming pool.
• Dress in shoes with good tread or slip-resistant soles, especially in snow or on ice.

Bond MC, Abraham MK. Pelvic injuries. In: Walls RM ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 46.

Vora A, Chan S. Coccydynia. In: Frontera WR, Silver JK, Rizzo TD Jr, eds. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: Musculoskeletal Disorders, Pain, and Rehabilitation. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 99.

Symptoms include:

• Bruising on the lower part of the spine
• Pain when sitting or putting pressure on the tailbone

Call 911 or the local emergency number for immediate medical help if:

• Spinal cord injury is suspected
• The person can't move
• Pain is severe