Arthritis can develop in the tailbone (coccyx) from injury or from sitting on hard surfaces for long periods of time. There are plenty of treatment options that can help you prevent and manage this.

The tailbone (coccyx) is connected to the sacrum — a large shield-shaped bone at the bottom of your spine — by a single joint called the sacrococcygeal joint.

This joint can develop arthritis over time from common activities like sitting and exercising. Injuries to your spine or back can also increase your risk of arthritis in the tailbone.

Read on to learn more about the symptoms, causes, and risk factors of tailbone arthritis — as well as how it’s diagnosed and treated.

Pain in your tailbone is the most common symptom of tailbone arthritis.

You’ll usually feel tailbone pain at the bottom of your spine, where the tailbone is located, right above your buttocks. Tailbone pain often gets worse when you sit for long periods or do high impact exercises like running or cycling.

As your sacrococcygeal joint starts to break down over time, the bones can rub against nerves and tissues near the tailbone. This can cause nerve pain in your lower back or pelvic area and shooting pain down your legs.

You might feel more intense pain from tailbone arthritis when you use the restroom or have sex. These activities can introduce pressure or impact that can make pain feel worse.

The most common cause of arthritis in the tailbone is normal wear and tear on the sacrococcygeal joint, which is known as osteoarthritis.

As you age, the fluid-filled capsule and cartilage surrounding the joint gradually disintegrate. This means that your joint no longer has any cushioning to stop the tailbone and sacrum from scraping against each other, resulting in pain when the joint moves.

Some activities are more likely to cause faster wear and tear on your tailbone joint, including:

  • sitting for long periods
  • leaning back when you sit
  • sitting on hard surfaces
  • falling on your tailbone
  • high impact injuries to your tailbone or lower back

Other causes of arthritis in your tailbone include:

  • having obesity
  • having bad posture when you stand or sit
  • being pregnant
  • giving birth

Age is the highest risk factor for tailbone arthritis. Tailbone arthritis can occur as you get older and lead to the development of osteoarthritis in many joints throughout the body.

Injuries and repetitive motion or strain in the tailbone joint can also increase your risk of post-traumatic osteoarthritis in your tailbone. This can cause damage to the joint tissues that can break down the joint quickly.

Having overweight or obesity can put additional strain on the joints throughout your body, including your sacrococcygeal joint. Being underweight can also increase your risk of tailbone arthritis from sitting because of the lack of cushioning around your tailbone.

Some conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) may also increase the risk of tailbone arthritis.

A doctor will likely perform a physical exam to examine the area around the tailbone to determine the location and severity of your pain.

The doctor may also recommend imaging tests to confirm a diagnosis of tailbone arthritis, including:

  • ultrasound to get close-up views of the joint capsule and tissues or to guide injections of treatments into the joint area
  • X-rays to view any damage in the sacrococcygeal joint or surrounding tissues and bones
  • computed tomography (CT) scans to view detailed cross-sections of your tailbone and pelvic area, including other bones and joint tissues
  • magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for even more detailed cross-sectional views of the tailbone and the cartilage, ligaments, and tendons around the tailbone tissues

A doctor may also recommend additional diagnostic tests if they suspect that you have a condition like RA or EDS that may be worsening your tailbone arthritis.

Tailbone arthritis can’t be cured or reversed. However, arthritis treatments can help relieve pain and manage symptoms so that one can maintain a good quality of life even with tailbone arthritis.

Home remedies

Some common home treatment methods available for tailbone arthritis include:

  • changes in your exercise routines to reduce strain on your tailbone
  • getting enough sleep to help reduce stress and inflammation caused by fatigue
  • changes to your diet to reduce your intake of inflammatory foods that can worsen symptoms
  • doing more stretching and relaxation techniques, including yoga
  • using supplements to support your bone and tissue health
  • using cold and heat therapies to relieve pain and swelling

Medical treatments

You may not always be able to fully manage your pain or symptoms at home. However, medical treatment methods for tailbone arthritis are available and include:

Medication options

You may need additional treatments for autoimmune conditions like RA. Medications that can help reduce inflammation from RA can include:

How do you treat arthritis in the tailbone?

Arthritis in the tailbone can typically be treated at home through over-the-counter pain relief medications, posture improvement exercises, and applying heat or ice to the affected area.

Is walking good or bad for tailbone pain?

Walking can be good for tailbone pain and may help provide relief. It can be beneficial to walk or move around slowly.

Arthritis in your tailbone can be painful and make it difficult to sit, stand, or walk.

But there’s plenty you can do to manage your pain with both home remedies and medical treatments in order to improve your quality of life.