Coccyx Pain and Swimming
This content was medically reviewed by Baher S. Yanni, MD, on June 8th, 2020.
When your tailbone hurts, the simple act of sitting down can send pain shooting up your spine. You don’t realize the importance of this pointy bone at the end of your vertebrae until it’s bruised or injured. While most people recover quickly from coccyx pain, this issue can lead to chronic discomfort.
Have you attempted to treat your tailbone pain, and nothing seems to work? Many people have found consistent relief through swimming. By implementing a swimming regimen into your weekly routine, you may find that your coccyx pain dissipates with each gentle stroke.
Common Causes of Tailbone Pain
Damage to your coccyx bone is called coccydynia. This injury is generally caused by trauma, usually due to an accident like a slip or fall. Coccyx pain can also be due to childbirth or jobs that require you to sit for long hours, putting pressure on your tailbone and lower back.
If you’ve damaged your coccyx, this injury is fairly easy to recognize. In addition to pain and tenderness in the tailbone area, you may also develop a visible bruise or experience constipation.
How Can Swimming Help Coccyx Pain?
When you experience injury and pain in any part of your body, there is a delicate balance you must achieve. Resting the injured area gives it an opportunity to heal, yet light exercise helps you regain strength and mobility. Swimming and water exercises are some of the best activities for those with back injuries, because they put less pressure on your lower back.
If you’ve contacted your doctor, and your tailbone pain doesn’t seem to improve, swimming may be your key to healing. Those who swim at least three times a week often feel immediate and consistent pain relief in their coccyx area. While it’s not completely clear why, gentle water exercise may be what’s needed to allow the tailbone position to normalize. Be sure to talk to your doctor first and get their go-ahead before diving in.
Tips for Swimming With a Tailbone Injury
Most people find that if you’re going to swim to help treat a coccyx injury, consistency is key. Find time to swim at least three days a week, if not more.
Be gentle at first and try out different strokes. If a certain swimming style seems to aggravate your injury, try something else. Start out with the backstroke or freestyle, and gently grip a kickboard between your legs. This will lessen the amount of kicking you need to do, which could hurt the muscles around your tailbone if you’ve torn them. You may also want to avoid the breaststroke or butterfly stroke for the same reason.
When to Contact Spine INA
If you’re experiencing severe coccyx pain that doesn’t seem to improve, it’s time to contact Spine INA. We can determine the cause of your pain and lay out treatment options that will resolve your injury. Our goal is to find the most effective procedure for your pain so you can live a fuller, happier life.
Contact us today to learn how we can help address your tailbone pain.
