10 Exercises for Tailbone Pain Relief That You Can Try

Chronic tailbone pain can be more than just inconvenient and uncomfortable – it can also be downright debilitating. Unfortunately, medical treatments such as steroid injections or surgery do not always provide lasting relief. However, some people find that regular exercise is effective in helping reduce their symptoms of chronic tailbone pain. In this blog post, we will discuss 10 exercises you can try for tailbone pain relief.  

A big part of the population suffers from the symptoms of chronic pelvic floor disorders, but there are few proven treatments available. Athletes who had chronic muscle fatigue due to excessive cycling activities reported a decrease in lower back and leg discomfort after participating in a 10-week exercise program specifically tailored for these conditions. The good news is that similar exercises may help with tailbone pain as well! 

Exercising not only increases flexibility and helps with core strengthening, but has also been known to improve mental health issues including depression or anxiety caused by chronic pain, all of which can contribute to a significant drop in quality of life for those dealing with tailbone ailments. 

1. Pelvic Tilt

To start, try the pelvic tilt exercise to help stretch your muscles and improve flexibility in the abdominal area. Start on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Elevate your hips slightly (roughly an inch from the floor) and hold this position as you inhale and exhale deeply for 10 seconds. Using your abs, press them up against your spine while pushing into the floor with both feet for 5-10 seconds at a time as you continue to increase pressure. Repeat 5-10 times for best results! 

2. Child’s Pose

A slightly more gentle version of this exercise is the child’s pose designed to loosen up tension in your back and hips. Begin by kneeling on the ground with your feet together and knees wider than hip-width apart. Lean forward so that your forehead rests between your legs (as far as comfort allows) while keeping your arms outstretched toward the front with palms facing down. Take a few deep breaths, allowing all of the tension to slowly leave each part of your body as you exhale any stress or discomfort in your mind and body. Hold for 10-30 seconds at a time, repeating 2-3 times for best results! 

3. Seated Forward Bend

A great posture to take while seated at a desk or in your car is the forward bend. It helps to reduce stress by elongating the spine and minimizing stiffness in those muscles. 

Start with feet flat on the ground, legs wide enough to accommodate your shoulders when folded over, and arms extended out in front of you with palms facing up. Slowly fold forward at the hips while keeping your back as straight as possible until you feel a good stretch located around your lower back/tailbone area (make sure not to force yourself too far that it becomes uncomfortable). Hold for 5-15 seconds at a time, repeating a few times throughout the day for best results! 

4. Cat-Cow Stretch

The cat-cow pose is an excellent stretch to do geared specifically towards relieving tailbone pain. Begin this exercise on all fours with your hands positioned directly under your shoulders and knees just below your hips. Take a deep breath in while arching your back, and exhale out slowly as you round your spine bringing your shoulders slightly closer together. Alternate between these poses 5-10 times for best results and be sure to apply gentle stretching exercises to the tailbone such as side-to-side or up/down movements that focus on loosening those muscles around the area!

5. Piriformis Stretch

One more stretch for relieving tailbone pain is less a pose and more of a targeted exercise designed to strengthen the buttocks area and loosen up the piriformis muscle around the lower vertebrae: the piriformis stretch! 

Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Bring one of your legs to rest across the other creating an upside-down “4” shape while keeping your shoulders steady on the floor. Gently press downward onto this leg with both hands for 10 seconds at a time while breathing deeply, feeling tension in that piriformis region gradually release as you exhale any stress or discomfort away. Repeat 3-4 times per side for best results! 

6. Walking

The movement that best helps to strengthen the core and reduce chronic tailbone pain is walking. The repetition of physical activity plus the deep, mindful breathing can help reduce tension in both mind and body. 

Start with shorter lengths (1-2 kilometers) at a slow-moderate pace as your muscles warm up, then ramp it up to longer distances for added benefit!  When you feel like your walking skill has improved, try throwing more intense forms of exercise into the mix such as jogging or brisk aerobic activities while still focusing on regular stretches throughout the day. 

Regardless of which exercises you choose to try out, make sure to talk to your doctor first if you have additional concerns about tailbone pain before attempting them on your own. 

Everyone’s needs are different and the best exercises for tailbone pain relief vary from person to person – but with these 10 exercises for tailbone pain relief, hopefully, some or all will be able to provide a measure of relief from whatever discomfort you’re dealing with!

7. McGill Curl-Up 

This exercise was created by the famous “back guru” Stuart McGill to help strengthen your core and reduce tailbone pain. 

Start by lying on your back and bring both knees up in the air with feet flat on the floor, they should be slightly wider than hip-width apart for best results. 

Slowly elevate your head off of the floor followed by your shoulders, leaving only your upper back supported on the ground. 

Hold for 10 seconds then repeat 5-10 times depending on comfort level! 

Be sure to maintain a straight line from knees to head throughout exercise, taking it slow until you get used to motion – because once mastered, it’s far more effective than just regular old crunches! 

8. Side Bridge

For those experiencing chronic tailbone pain, the side bridge can provide an earlier prerequisite to progressing into more complex abdominal and core exercises that target lower back areas. 

Start by lying on the abdomen with one arm bent and resting at the side. This will be your supporting arm while the other can remain either straight or bent out in front for added balance. Push up from the ground using your legs and hips while keeping your abs tight and torso slightly arched as you slowly raise your body above ground. Hold for 5-10 seconds before lowering back onto the surface then repeat! 

Continue increasing reps of this pose gradually as the spine strengthens until the desired level of comfort is reached.

9. Bird-Dog

The bird-dog exercise can be beneficial to those who experience tailbone pain due to low back instability or weak abdominal muscles. 

Start on all fours (hands and knees) with both arms reaching straight ahead and one leg extended behind you, alternate legs each time to ensure symmetry in the core strength of both sides. As you reach out your arm, draw your navel towards the spine, holding for 10 seconds then repeat on the other side. 

Make sure to keep your shoulder blades pulled together while breathing deeply through exercise as every inhalation/exhalation brings focus into that specific muscle group which will gradually build strength over time!  

10. Bridges 

The last exercise on our list is Bridges – a great way to reduce tailbone pain and tone your hips, glutes, and of course hip flexors! 

To get started, lie flat on the ground with knees bent and feet together flat on the surface. 

You can add an optional heating or cooling pad in this step for added comfort if needed. Starting from the floor, engage both abs and glutes as you lift your lower back off the ground while keeping your shoulders firmly planted (use hands in front of your chest to help support). Hold this pose for 5-10 seconds then slowly lower yourself back onto the surface. Repeat 10 times or until the desired level is reached. This can also be done by pumping legs up/down motions for added benefit!

No one should have to suffer the pain of chronic tailbone ailments alone – and with these 10 exercises geared towards providing relief from tailbone afflictions such as those that result from poor posture, biking too much at once, or long hours working at a desk job – hopefully, you will find some form of solace here within our discussion today! 

Additional Tips to Avoid Pain 

While exercise is often the best route for relieving pain, there are a few extra tips that can be combined with these stretches to really maximize their effectiveness: 

1. Keep your core engaged at all times. The stronger your core area (abdominals, glutes, hip flexors), the less chance of tailbone pain rearing its head again. 
2. Try low-impact activities such as going for a brisk walk or swimming as opposed to harder workouts like running or cycling which can put additional strain on the area. 
3. Create good posture habits throughout your day – whether it’s sitting straight up in front of your computer monitor or standing with proper alignment while doing household tasks – anything that will allow you to keep your spine straight and muscles relaxed! This increased awareness over time should help reduce future chronic pain episodes significantly if caught early enough. 
4. Be sure to properly stretch/warm up before beginning any physical activity as this will not only help reduce injuries later on but also provide an effective way of addressing muscle imbalances causing difficulties with postural control in general!  
5. Above all else, practice mindfulness – being aware and attentive to what you’re feeling moment-to-moment can really decrease discomfort levels by changing focus and thoughts away from the “stuckness” that comes with chronic pain cycles, essentially training the brain how best to handle stressors associated with daily life routines more easily next time around so don’t stay stuck dwelling on a same problem as they did initially when first diagnosed!

Conclusion 

At the end of the day, chronic tailbone pain doesn’t have to be a debilitating affliction or life-long nuisance. With consistent monitoring and practice of these 10 exercises – ranging from gentle stretches to core strengthening poses – you may find relief from even the most stubborn of pain sources! As we’ve discussed throughout our post, remember that everyone’s needs are different and it is always best to talk to your doctor before attempting any exercise on your own. Good luck and happy healing!