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Patient Questions  /  Tailbone pain when sitting

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Why Does My Tailbone Hurt When I Sit?

Tailbone pain, called coccydynia, usually comes from irritation of the small bone at the bottom of your spine and the tissues around it. Common causes are a fall onto your bottom, childbirth, or long hours sitting on hard seats. Sometimes there's no clear cause. Sitting presses right on the area, so it often hurts most when you sit or stand up.

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Common causes

  • A fall backward onto your bottom.
  • Childbirth. Tailbone pain is more common in women, often after a vaginal delivery.
  • Long sitting, especially on hard seats or slumped back so your weight rolls onto the tailbone.
  • Activities like cycling or rowing that press on the area again and again.
  • Tight muscles. Some pelvic floor and hip muscles attach to the tailbone and can add to the pain.

What usually helps

  • Use a cushion. A wedge or a cushion with a cutout at the back takes pressure off the tailbone.
  • Lean slightly forward when you sit, so more weight goes onto your thighs.
  • Break up sitting. Stand and move around often.
  • Try heat or ice for comfort, and ask your doctor or pharmacist about pain relief.
  • Avoid constipation and straining, which can make tailbone pain worse.

Most tailbone pain gets better over weeks to months. If it doesn't, it's worth getting checked.

When to see a doctor

See a doctor promptly if you have:

  • Severe pain, bruising or trouble sitting at all after a fall, which can mean a broken tailbone
  • Fever, or a red, swollen, painful lump near the top of the buttock crease
  • Numbness in the groin or inner thighs, or new trouble controlling your bladder or bowels: get emergency care
  • Pain that wakes you at night and doesn't change with position, unexplained weight loss, or a history of cancer
  • Bleeding from your bottom, or a lasting change in your bowel habits

How physical therapy at ARI can help

A physical therapist can look at how you sit and move and how the muscles around your pelvis, hips and low back are working. Treatment can include hands-on care, exercise and sitting strategies to take pressure off the tailbone. For women, pelvic floor therapy can also help when tight pelvic floor muscles are part of the problem.

At ARI Physical Therapy in Bakersfield, every visit is one-on-one and in person with a licensed physical therapist, and our clinic director, Deepa Konnur, PT, MPT, OCS, is a board-certified Orthopedic Certified Specialist. We accept most private insurance plans and Medicare, and we have staff who speak Spanish and Hindi.

Read our full guide: Tailbone pain →

No referral needed to start. In California, you can see a physical therapist directly for up to 12 visits or 45 days, whichever comes first. Some insurance plans still require a referral for coverage; call us at (661) 282-8584 and we'll help you check.

Related questions

Ready to feel better?

Talk to a licensed physical therapist at ARI, one-on-one. Request an evaluation and we'll get back to you, usually within one business day.

Request an EvaluationCall (661) 282-8584

This page is general information, not a diagnosis. If you have symptoms, a licensed clinician should evaluate you.

Clinically reviewed by Deepa Konnur, PT, MPT, OCS, board-certified Orthopedic Certified Specialist · Reviewed October 2026