This is a relatively common painful condition in women, which is poorly represented in the clinical practice of physiotherapy for women. Coccydynia is a painful condition of the tailbone or a defect in the tailbone that causes pain in the sacrum or low, also called caudal, back pain.
Coccydynia is the medical term for tailbone pain, which can be caused by a variety of factors, including injury, prolonged sitting on hard surfaces, degenerative changes, or even infections.
Although it may seem like a minor problem, statistics show that as many as 2–3% of individuals experience this pain at least once in their lives.
If coccydynia is not treated properly, serious complications can occur. Long-term pain can lead to chronic problems that require long-term rehabilitation.
Patients with coccydynia usually describe severe tailbone pain or low back pain, but present caudal pain on diagnostic examination. Low back pain has a complex pathological picture, and its possible origin may also be from a defect in the tailbone. A physiotherapist must perform appropriate differential clinical tests to rule out potential sources of low back pain from herniation, spinal stenosis, spinal arthrosis, or disc protrusion.
More than three quarters of lumbar spine disorders and pain occur in women, and the coccydynia or coccyalgia is five times more common in women than in men.
The tailbone, or coccyx, is a smaller, triangular-shaped bone, consisting of three to five fused vertebrae – so-called coccygeal vertebrae. The tailbone is a part of the lower spine and plays an important role in low back pain. The tailbone is attached to the sacrum by an articular surface. The tailbone is the shared site of attachment of deep hip muscles, which play an important role in pelvis stabilisation and during childbirth.
In women, the tailbone, or coccyx, is narrower and longer, and more often has an outwardly accentuated curve. After childbirth, the stability of the tailbone and sacrum is impaired due to microinjuries and stretching of the ligaments, which often leads to the condition of coccydynia in women.
Medicofit specialist physiotherapy offers a comprehensive approach for treatment of this pain. With the help of experts specialised in treating coccydynia, you can achieve quick and lasting relief.
Coccydynia is characterised by pain that is concentrated in the tailbone area. The pain is often worsened by sitting and tilting backwards, running, or more intense walking.
The pain is worse when getting up from a chair and worsens when sitting down with force.
Typically, the pain can spread to the sacrum and be recognised as general low back pain. Direct pressure on the tailbone is very painful, and if you fall on your buttocks, the pain is sharp and intense.
In general, there are two types of coccydynia:
WHEN TO OPT FOR MEDICOFIT DIAGNOSTIC THERAPY?
At Medicofit clinic, we provide patients with scientifically supported specialist physiotherapy, which begins with booking a diagnostic therapy appointment.
This is a condition that should not be confused with a herniated disc, spinal arthrosis, spinal stenosis, or other spinal diseases. The therapy has be performed in the form of acute physiotherapy that directly targets the coccyx using TECAR therapy, LASER therapy and PERISO therapy.
Acute coccydynia requires a comprehensive instrumental approach; isolated manual therapy is not the leading treatment method.
After four to six weeks, we usually achieve complete pain-free recovery and enter the second phase of rehabilitation, where we stabilise the coccyx, sacrum, and pelvis with special exercises.
The final part of physiotherapy also includes exercises to increase the load-bearing capacity of the coccyx and education on correct squatting, walking, and running patterns.
DANGERS AND PITFALLS OF DELAYED REHABILITATION
MEDICOFIT specialists
Inadequate or delayed rehabilitation seriously jeopardises an individual’s long-term physical health and is the main culprit for unsuccessful results and permanent movement limitations.
At Medicofit clinic, we offer therapeutic exercises combined with state-of-the-art instrumental therapies that accelerate cellular regeneration:
Laser therapy
Laser therapy is used to reduce inflammation and pain and promote tissue healing. It works by photo-modulating cellular function, which helps reduce pain and accelerate recovery. Laser therapy is especially useful in the acute and subacute phases of coccyx injury.
TECAR therapy
TECAR therapy is a form of diathermy that uses high-frequency energy to biostimulate tissue. This technique improves microcirculation, speeds up metabolism, and reduces pain and inflammation. It is used in all stages of injury, including acute, subacute, and chronic conditions.
Diamagnetic therapy
Diamagnetic therapy uses an electromagnetic field to stimulate cellular metabolism, promote tissue repair, and reduce inflammation. It is a completely non-invasive and painless method that improves lymphatic drainage and reabsorption of oedema, which is useful in the treatment of coccyx injuries.
WHY CHOOSE SPECIALIST PHYSIOTHERAPY TREATMENT?
Comprehensive treatment at Medicofit clinic is recommended by numerous renowned orthopaedic surgery specialists.
