Symptoms of a Broken Tailbone

April 1, 2025 | Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers | Personal Injury

Broken tailbones are painful and often misdiagnosed or minimized. Many slip and fall victims with this injury don’t get it properly diagnosed and treated. However, slip and fall accidents are not the only cause of a broken tailbone. We put together this article so you can document your injury, get it handled correctly, and help your personal injury attorney build the strongest possible case to maximize your financial compensation.

Is My Tailbone Broken?

The main indicator of a broken tailbone or coccyx fracture is a sharp, stabbing pain in your lower back or upper buttocks. This pain often intensifies when you sit, lean backward, or even stand. The upper buttocks area may be tender to the touch, and you might also notice prolonged pain during a bowel movement or intercourse.

A few other less common symptoms of a broken tailbone include your legs feeling weak, painful urination, and struggling to control bowel movements. Bruising, swelling, and numbness or tingling are common but don’t always occur. Symptoms can manifest differently in different people based on their body type, overall health, age, and specific injury.

Common Causes of a Broken Tailbone

Another way to tell if your tailbone is fractured is by considering your recent activity.

Here are a few common ways a tailbone can be broken:

Falling on your buttocks on a hard surface
Falling down the stairs
Giving birth, usually with complications relating to the baby’s positioning
A slip and fall on ice or other wet, slippery surface
Repetitive strain from strenuous activities like rowing or cycling
Falling from high up, such as falling from a ladder
Contact sports collisions or impacts in the buttocks area

The bottom line is that any direct trauma or repetitive stress to your lower back or buttocks can cause your tailbone to break. Additionally, older people, those with low bone density, and obese people are at higher risk of breaking their tailbone from a fall.

Treating a Broken Tailbone

Doctors do not generally apply a cast or brace for a fractured tailbone injury. It’s not easy—as it is with a broken ankle or wrist—to isolate this bone for such a treatment. Your doctor’s focus will be on managing your pain. Also, be sure your doctor gives you a foam donut to sit on for school, work, and driving. This apparatus can make sitting tolerable while your coccyx heals.

Your doctor will also tell you to rest, meaning no sports or exercise while you’re recovering. You can also use ice packs on the area if you have swelling or throbbing. Physical therapy and surgery may be needed in the more severe cases.

Seeing a Doctor

If your injury is a result of someone’s negligence, it is even more imperative that you get diagnosed by a doctor. Even though you may be able to manage the symptoms with over-the-counter painkillers and sitting cushions, your lawyer will need your diagnosis to be documented.

To diagnose a broken tailbone, your doctor will look at your history and symptoms, and will most likely:

Take sitting and standing X-rays
Perform a rectal exam (not always necessary)
Check your range of motion
Look at and examine the affected area
Order an MRI if soft tissue or ligaments were injured

It’s important to see a doctor if you are experiencing symptoms of a broken tailbone so you can get properly diagnosed.

Understand the Symptoms of a Broken Tailbone, and Seek Legal Help if Necessary

A bruised tailbone can feel similar to a broken tailbone, so it’s important for your doctor to properly examine you. In case of a future lawsuit, it is important to document everything and follow your doctor’s instructions.

If you have any questions relating to a broken tailbone injury caused by someone else’s carelessness in Clearwater or Tampa, Florida, there are legal professionals waiting to help you. Experienced personal injury lawyers can review your case and answer any legal questions you may have.

Contact a Clearwater Personal Injury Lawyer from Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today

For more information, please contact Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer in Clearwater today. We have five convenient locations in Florida, including Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, New Port Richey, and Lakeland.

We proudly serve Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, Pasco County, Polk County, and its surrounding areas:

Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers – Tampa Office
601 W Swann Ave, Tampa, FL 33606
(813) 223-6200

Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers – Clearwater Office
600 Bypass Dr Suite 224-D, Clearwater, FL 33764
(727) 493-4418

Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers – St. Petersburg Office
111 2nd Ave NE Suite 350, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 314-5988

Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers – New Port Richey Office
5006 Trouble Creek Rd Unit #200, Port Richey, FL 34652
(727) 910-5060

Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers – Lakeland Office
1543 Lakeland Hills Blvd Suite 18, Lakeland, FL 33805
(863) 251-6196