The tailbone is the small bone at the bottom of your backbone, or spine. Tailbone disorders include tailbone injuries, pain, infections, cysts and tumors. You rarely break your tailbone. Instead, most injuries cause bruises or pulled ligaments. A backward fall onto a hard surface, such as slipping on ice, is the most common cause of such injuries. Symptoms of various tailbone disorders include pain in the tailbone area, pain upon sitting, pain or numbness in the arms or legs due to pressure on nerves in the tailbone area, and a mass or growth you can see or feel.
Highlights
Call for immediate medical help if:
- Spinal cord injury is suspected
- The person can’t move
- Pain is severe
Prevention
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.
Causes
Backward falls onto a hard surface, such as a slippery floor or ice, are the most common cause of this injury.
Symptoms
Bruising on the lower part of the spine
Pain when sitting or putting pressure on the tailbone
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