Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law | July 8, 2025 | Personal Injury
The tailbone doesn’t get much attention until it starts to cause pain. Then, it becomes impossible to ignore. It’s a small, triangle-shaped bone at the base of your spine, also called the coccyx. But when it’s injured, the pain hits hard and tends to stick around. Sitting, standing, and even sleeping can turn into a battle.
Falls at theme parks, slips in crowded stores, and car crashes on busy roads happen all too often, so unfortunately, broken tailbones aren’t rare. Even though they’re not life-threatening, they can absolutely wreck your routine.
Pain That Doesn’t Quit
The most obvious symptom is pain that can be deep, dull, and hard to shake. A broken tailbone often causes sharp pain right at the bottom of the spine, especially when you sit down. It can feel like you’re sitting on a rock or like a constant pressure that won’t ease up.
The pain might fade a bit when you stand or lie down on your side, but even those positions can become uncomfortable after a while. The longer it goes untreated, the worse it gets. Patients with tailbone injuries often think they just bruised it. But if the pain hasn’t improved in a few days or worsens, that’s a red flag.
Trouble Sitting, Moving, or Using the Bathroom
A telltale sign of a broken tailbone is the inability to sit for more than a few minutes without shifting or wincing. Hard chairs, car rides, office chairs, and even soft cushions make it worse if there’s no proper support.
You might also feel pain when having a bowel movement. Because the tailbone sits near the rectum, any swelling or bone displacement in that area puts painful pressure where it doesn’t belong.
You might also feel it in other places. The lower back can get stiff, and some notice a weird tingle down one leg. Even the hips can start to act up. When that one small bone is out of line, everything around it reacts.
Swelling and Bruising
A broken tailbone doesn’t always leave a visible mark, but it can. You might notice swelling at the base of your spine — perhaps not a lot, but enough to feel tender when you lean back in a chair.
Bruising can also show up. It’s usually dark and not always where the pain feels the strongest. The area might look discolored for days, maybe longer. In some cases, there’s a hard spot or bump under the skin. This can happen if the bone shifts out of its usual place.
These changes can be easy to miss if you’re not looking for them. However, if something feels off and you’re seeing signs to match, don’t brush it off. Your body’s telling you something’s wrong.
More Than a “Minor” Injury
A lot of people downplay a tailbone injury. They assume it will go away on its own, or it’s not severe enough to worry about. But when it’s left untreated, a broken tailbone can lead to chronic pain, affect posture, limit mobility, and impact your overall quality of life.
It’s hard to give this kind of injury the necessary downtime when you’re an active individual. And when someone else’s negligence caused it, the last thing you should be doing is suffering in silence.
Contact an Orlando Personal Injury Lawyer at Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law Today
For more information, please contact Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law to schedule a free consultation. We have five convenient locations in Florida, including Orlando, Palm Bay, Melbourne, Cocoa, and Titusville.
Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law – Orlando, FL Office
633 E Colonial Dr
Orlando, FL 32803
Phone: (407) 801-3000
Hours: Open 24/7
Our firm is located near you. We have an office in Orlando, FL.
Find us with our GeoCoordinates: 28.5534238,-81.3692001
Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law – Palm Bay, FL Office
4620 Lipscomb Street N.E Suite #3K
Palm Bay, FL 32905
Phone: (321) 677-5964
Hours: Open 24/7
Our firm is located near you. We have an office in Palm Bay, FL.
Find us with our GeoCoordinates: 28.039083,-80.6083109
Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law – Melbourne, FL Office
1600 W Eau Gallie Blvd #205j
Melbourne, FL 32935
Phone: (321) 450-7134
Hours: Open 24/7
Our firm is located near you. We have an office in Melbourne, FL.
Find us with our GeoCoordinates: 28.1289147,-80.6461588
Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law – Cocoa, FL Office
717 S Cocoa Blvd STE 203
Cocoa, FL 32922
Phone: (321) 449-8042
Hours: Open 24/7
Our firm is located near you. We have an office in Cocoa, FL.
Find us with our GeoCoordinates: 28.3511613,-80.7312948
Norden Leacox Accident & Injury Law – Titusville, FL Office
4527 S Hopkins Ave Suite B
Titusville, FL 32780
Phone: (407) 801-3000
Hours: Open 24/7
Our firm is located near you. We have an office in Titusville, FL.
Find us with our GeoCoordinates:28.5584923,-80.8010051
