Tailbone pain?? It can be a literal pain in the butt! The tailbone, or the coccyx, is attached to the sacrum via the sacrococcygeal joint. This means the tailbone can MOVE around depending on the pull from the surroudning musculature, which would be the pelvic floor!
The pelvic floor can have uneven tension through it depending on our postural and stance tendencies. If you favor a right stance, or always put weight into your right leg, you likely have a tighter left posterior quadrant of your pelvic floor.
If we want to relieve tailbone pain, sometimes the first step is to release the uneven pull on the tailbone! Let’s explore a few exercises that help shift the pelvic position which could release some tension to find some tailbone pain relief!
4 Ways to Find Tailbone Pain Relief!
The tailbone is attached to the sacrococcygeal joint. It can change directions or position based on the pull from the pelvic floor.
Ideally, it moves freely as we walk and shift our weight and position. But, as with most discomfort, if we get “stuck” in a position, it can cause pain or discomfort!
Here are four exercises you can try to relieve some tailbone pain!
- Supported Standing Breathing Drill: Bilateral and Asymmetrical Shift.
- Standing Hip Shift Drill
- Pelvic Tilts with Hip Shift
- Adductor Rock Back with Thoracic Rotation
1) Supported Standing Drills
The supported standing drills involve:
- Bilateral Focus with Internal Rotation to release the posterior half of the pelvic floor
- Asymmetrical Focus with Internal Rotation to release the posterior quadrant of each hip
We incorporate these type of breathing drills and mobility drills in our prenatal and postnatal fitness programs so you can MOVE to stay comfortable and find relief from pain!
We offer our programs both via the Teambuildr app, as a list of exercises with short demo videos and as an on-demand program, a video that you follow as you exercise at the same time.
Not sure what program to choose? Try this quiz to figure out which may be the best fit for you!
In the supported standing breathing drill:
- Start with both toes pointed towards one another and squeeze a pilates ball or yoga block between the thighs.
- Hinge back, think belly to the floor
- Find a slight rounding in the back to target the back half of the pelvic floor.
- Inhale DOWN to feel the pelvic floor stretch and lengthen.
Then we can move onto the hip shifted breathing drill:
- Start with one foot on a yoga block, and hold onto your sturdy structure with the opposite hand.
- Hinge back, belly to floor
- Rotate belly to thigh for internal rotation
- Shift your weight into the elevated leg
- Slight rounding in the back to target the back half of the pelvic floor
- Inhale DOWN into the pelvic floor to feel it stretch and lengthen
- Repeat 10-15 breaths per side
Watch the video below for a more thorough explanation.
2) Standing Hip Shift Drills
We can also do the standing hip shift without the support. This may or may not be more achievable for you with one less thing to focus on (the hold). In the standing hip shift drill we can either use a yoga block or elevated surface to make the movement a little more intense, or we can do it from the floor.
Tips:
- Place one foot on an elevated surface (or the floor for a less intense version)
- Shift your weight to the leg on the elevated surface as you rotate belly to thigh (the elevated foot hip should lift upwards)
- Shift your weight back to straighten the elevated leg to feel the hamstring and glute stretch
- Inhale DOWN into the pelvic floor to feel it stretch
- Do 10-20 breaths on each side
3) Pelvic Tilts with Weight Shifted
The closer we move to the floor, sometimes the easier it is to feel the pelvic floor releasing. Some folks find the more upright and active positions to feel better, and others find more restorative positions! Explore which one works best for you!
Tips:
- Start in a table top position
- Elevate one knee on top of a yoga block or elevated surface about 2-3 inches in height
- Shift your weight to the elevated knee
- Slightly round in the back to target the posterior half of the pelvic floor
- Inhale DOWN to stretch the pelvic floor
- Repeat 10-15 times per side
4) Adductor Rock Back with Thoracic Rotation
But our only focus can’t be just the pelvic floor! Sometimes we can’t find certain pelvic positions due to other surrounding musculature pulling on the pelvis.
We can focus on the muscles that attach to the pelvis so we can more easily find certain pelvic positions.
The adductor rock back with thoracic rotation is one of my favorites! This exercise releases the inner thigh (you may find one side is much tighter than the other) and also the upper spine!
Watch the video below for a breakdown.
Tailbone Pain Relief: Move the Pelvic Floor
When we experience pain or discomfort, sometimes the reason is due to LACK of movement! Finding movement in the pelvic floor and releasing tension in an uneven pull can relieve tailbone pain.
Focus on shifting weight and asymmetrical positions to relieve the tension in the pelvic floor for tailbone relief!