The main symptom of a broken tailbone is pain at the very bottom of the spine that often gets worse when sitting. The tailbone, or coccyx, is the small bone at the lower tip of the spine. Fractures there are uncommon, and tailbone trauma more often means bruised bone or strained ligaments. If you notice symptoms of a broken tailbone after a fall or crash caused by someone else’s carelessness, The Buzbee Law Firm offers a free consultation at 800-992-5393.
Common Signs of a Tailbone Injury
The usual symptoms of tailbone trauma include:
- Pain or tenderness in the lower back
- Pain over the buttocks
- Pain or numbness when sitting
- Bruising and swelling around the base of the spine
Tailbone pain often worsens with prolonged sitting or leaning back. Pain can spike when standing up from a seat and can flare during bowel movements or intercourse.
How Do You Know If Your Tailbone Is Broken or Just Bruised?
A bruise and a fracture hurt in the same place, so telling them apart is a job for a clinician. Evaluation typically starts with a history and physical exam. Side-view X-rays of the coccyx are recommended. X-rays taken while seated can reveal problems that standard views miss. An MRI can also help evaluate the area.
Healing time differs as well. A bruised tailbone takes about 4 weeks to heal, while a fracture can take 8 to 12 weeks. Many people improve within weeks or months, but some have tailbone pain that lasts far longer.
How Is a Broken Tailbone Treated?
Most tailbone injuries are treated without surgery. Standard aftercare for tailbone trauma includes these steps:
- Resting and stopping activities that cause pain
- Applying ice for about 20 minutes every hour while awake for the first 48 hours, then 2 or 3 times a day, with a cloth between the ice and the skin
- Sitting on a cushion or gel donut with a hole in the center, and avoiding long periods of sitting or hard seats
- Using over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen, naproxen, or acetaminophen, after checking with a provider if you have heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney or liver disease, or a history of stomach ulcers or internal bleeding
- Eating plenty of fiber, drinking fluids, and using a stool softener if bowel movements are painful
As pain eases, slowly adding light activity such as walking can help. If symptoms do not improve, a steroid injection may be tried. Surgery to remove part of the tailbone may be discussed, but not until at least 6 months after the injury. Ongoing tailbone pain can also develop into a chronic pain condition in some people.
When Tailbone Pain Needs Prompt Medical Care
These warning signs call for contacting a health care provider:
- Sudden numbness, tingling, or weakness in one or both legs
- A sudden increase in pain or swelling
- An injury that does not seem to be healing as expected
- Prolonged constipation
- Problems controlling the bowel or bladder
If a spinal cord injury is suspected, the person cannot move, or the pain is severe, call 911 right away. Do not move someone who may have a spinal cord injury.
How Tailbone Injuries Happen in Accidents
The most common cause of tailbone trauma is falling backward onto a hard, slippery surface, such as a wet floor or ice. Direct impact and childbirth are other causes, and repeated pressure, such as long periods of sitting, can bring on tailbone pain without a single injury.
In an injury claim, where the fall or impact happened shapes the rules that apply. A slip on a wet store floor can raise a premises liability claim against the property owner, and a crash can lead to a claim against the at-fault driver. An on-the-job fall usually runs through workers’ compensation, or through a negligence lawsuit when the employer does not carry it.
Texas Deadlines and Medical Bills in a Tailbone Injury Claim
Under the state’s statute of limitations, a personal injury lawsuit in Texas generally must be filed within two years. The clock usually starts on the date of the fall or crash. Because tailbone pain can linger well past the expected healing time, that clock can run out while treatment is still going on.
Recovery can be reduced by the injured person’s own share of fault and is barred entirely above 50%. For example, someone who walked past a posted wet-floor sign and was found 30% responsible for the fall would recover $14,000 of $20,000 in losses.
Medical bills follow their own rule. Under Texas’s medical-expense statute, recovery is limited to what was actually paid or owed for care, not the full amount billed. Bills, insurance statements, and payment records help show that amount. Imaging and treatment notes dated close to the fall or crash help connect the injury to it.
When Symptoms of a Broken Tailbone Follow an Accident
Weeks of painful sitting can make work, driving, and sleep harder, especially when someone else’s carelessness caused the fall or crash. At The Buzbee Law Firm, we take pride in what we do and how we do it. If you are dealing with symptoms of a broken tailbone after an accident, we would be glad to talk it through in a free consultation. Reach us at 800-992-5393, or contact us to set a time.
About The Author: Tony Buzbee
Tony Buzbee earned his J.D. summa cum laude from the University of Houston Law Center after serving as a United States Marine Corps Recon officer. He is widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading trial lawyers and has received honors including Texas Lawyer Attorney of the Year and Lawdragon Leading Lawyer.
Known for taking on high-stakes litigation nationwide, Tony is respected for his leadership, courtroom advocacy, and commitment to achieving exceptional results for his clients and the community.
Client testimonials frequently praise Tony’s strategic approach, relentless advocacy, and ability to secure successful outcomes in complex cases.
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