Workman Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyer | September 23, 2025 | Personal Injury
The tailbone, or coccyx, sits at the very bottom of your spine. It’s a small, triangular bone made up of three to five vertebrae fused together. Though it doesn’t get much attention, the tailbone keeps you stable when you sit, and it supports several muscles and ligaments in the pelvic area. When it’s injured, mainly due to a fall, accident, or other personal injury, the pain can be surprisingly intense.
A broken tailbone isn’t always obvious right away. Sometimes, the signs are subtle. Other times, they hit hard and fast. Recognizing the symptoms early is important, not just for relief but also to avoid complications that can drag on for months.
Common Symptoms You Shouldn’t Ignore
Everyone experiences a broken tailbone differently. However, there are some symptoms people frequently report.
Persistent Pain at the Base of the Spine
This is the most obvious red flag. It might feel dull and achy at first or sharp and stabbing, especially when shifting positions. If sitting becomes unbearable, that’s a sign something’s wrong.
Increased Pain When Sitting or Standing
Pain tends to spike when pressure is placed on the tailbone, like when sitting on a hard surface. However, getting up from a chair or bending over can also trigger discomfort. It could point to a fracture if you find yourself constantly shifting or avoiding sitting altogether.
Bruising or Swelling Around the Tailbone
After a fall or accident, it’s common to see visible bruising near the base of the spine. Swelling or tenderness in that area usually means tissue trauma. If bruising appears without much external injury, it might mean the bone has been broken.
Pain During Bowel Movements
Because the tailbone is so close to the rectum, a fracture can make it painful to go to the bathroom. Straining even slightly can aggravate the injury. It’s not a symptom people love to discuss, but it’s more common than most realize.
Numbness or Tingling in the Legs
Though less common, nerve irritation near the tailbone can sometimes cause radiating pain, numbness, or tingling down the legs if the fracture is pressing against nearby nerves. If you notice this symptom, it’s not something to brush off.
Trouble Sleeping or Lying Down
People with broken tailbones often have trouble finding a comfortable position at bedtime. Lying on your back might feel impossible, and side-sleeping can still put pressure on the pelvis.
Why These Symptoms Can Linger
A tailbone injury isn’t always quick to heal. For some, the pain fades in a few weeks, but it can take months for many. If the break doesn’t heal properly or if the area develops chronic inflammation, coccydynia (long-term tailbone pain) can set in. In some cases, the only solution might be more aggressive treatment like injections or surgery.
Always Take a Tailbone Injury Seriously
When a person hurts their tailbone in an accident, they might assume they just “bruised their tailbone” and wait it out. But without X-rays or MRIs, it’s impossible to know for sure whether the bone is broken.
Also, if the injury happened because of a fall, car accident, or other trauma, it’s even more important to document the symptoms and get evaluated. A tailbone fracture may not be life-threatening, but it can absolutely impact quality of life.
Contact the Fort Lauderdale Personal Injury Lawyers at Workman Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today
The tailbone may be small, but when it’s broken, the effects can be anything but minor. If you have lower back pain after an accident or fall, your body is telling you something. Pay attention.
For more information, please contact an experienced personal injury lawyer at Workman Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation.
We proudly serve Fort Lauderdale, Clermont, and its surrounding areas:
Workman Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers
633 S Andrews Ave Ste 401, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
(954) 361-3997
Workman Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers
1655 E Hwy 50 ste 316, Clermont, FL 34711
(352) 77-33866