A bruised or fractured tailbone can be caused by sudden trauma or repetitive injury, with women more susceptible due to wider pelvises and childbirth. The coccyx, made up of fused vertebrae, is located at the base of the spine and can be felt between the buttocks. Injuries can be extremely painful and slow to heal, affecting normal functioning. Direct trauma or repetitive pressure from activities such as cycling or horseback riding can cause bruising.
A bruised tailbone can be caused by a sudden trauma, such as a fall, or a less severe but repetitive injury to the area, such as from regular cycling or horse riding. The coccyx is the common name for the coccyx, the fused bone at the base of the spine. Because it is relatively superficial bone, meaning that it lies close to the skin and is not protected by dense layers of muscle and fat, it is susceptible not only to bruising but also to fractures. Women are more likely to suffer from a broken or bruised tailbone as the female pelvis is wider than the male pelvis, leaving the tailbone vulnerable. Also, women can suffer a tailbone injury during childbirth due to the strain of the baby as it exits the birth canal.
Made up of three to five vertically fused vertebrae, the coccyx is widest at the top and tapers towards the bottom, forming a triangle. It is located in the lower spine below the sacrum and between the hip bones at the back of the pelvis and can be felt between the buttocks. When sitting and leaning back slightly, the tailbone forms a kind of tripod with the paired sitting bones at the bottom of the pelvis, allowing a person to maintain their balance in this position.
Since the coccyx is the bone on which most of a person’s weight rests when sitting, a fall backwards while sitting can easily injure this bone. A bruised tailbone, while not necessarily a serious injury, can be extremely painful, cause visible discoloration, and be slow to heal. In addition to limiting the ability to sit and/or walk, this injury can make bowel movements extremely painful and thus interfere with normal functioning.
Any form of direct trauma to the area can cause a bruised tailbone, from a fall backwards to a blow to the posterior pelvis, such as can be caused by a contact sport such as soccer or rugby. Similarly, minor but repetitive trauma can result in a tailbone bruise. The stress of cycling, horseback riding, or other seated activities that put too much pressure on the tailbone can cause bruising. Finally, childbirth or even just the weight of being pregnant can lead to this injury in women, whether from spending time sitting with so much extra weight on the tailbone or from the stress of labor itself.
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