Published October 14, 2026 · Updated November 1, 2026 · Protocol Archive Editorial
Tailbone pain exercises: a stage-by-stage home program
Talk to your doctor first. General education, not medical advice.This content is general education, not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Get approval from your physician or another qualified healthcare provider before starting any exercise program, especially if you have a medical condition, a recent injury or surgery, are pregnant, or take medication. Stop and seek medical advice if an exercise causes pain, dizziness, chest discomfort or shortness of breath. You choose to exercise at your own risk. Read the full medical disclaimer.
Tailbone pain (coccydynia) is pain and tenderness at the very bottom of the spine, just above the buttocks. It is usually a dull ache with occasional sharp pains, and is often worse when sitting, when standing up from sitting, when bending forward, or during bowel movements.
It can follow a fall onto the bottom, childbirth, repetitive strain such as cycling or rowing, or long periods of sitting on hard surfaces. Sometimes there is no clear cause.
Pain often improves within a few weeks, though it can last longer. Home care and changes to how you sit help most people. Exercises aim to relax and strengthen the pelvic floor and the muscles that support the lower back and pelvis.
Stage 1: Ease pressure and relax
Take pressure off the tailbone and learn to relax and gently use the pelvic floor.
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Diaphragmatic Breathing for Pain Relief
As you breathe in, let your pelvic floor relax, then let the breath sigh out. This is relaxation, not pushing.
Typical dose: Several slow breaths into your belly, pausing 4–5 sec on each in-breath; practice daily2
-
Pelvic Floor Exercises (Kegels)
Start lying on your back with knees bent, or any position that does not aggravate your pain. Keep your tummy and buttocks relaxed, and relax fully between squeezes.
Typical dose: Slow: hold 3–5 sec (building to 10 sec), 10 times. Quick: 1-sec squeezes, 10 times. 3–4 times a day1,2
- Use a coccyx cushion, sit with your lower back supported, and avoid sitting for long periods.1
- Try not to sit on one cheek. Leaning forward onto your thighs, or sitting on two rolled towels in a V shape so the back of the tailbone is unloaded, can ease pressure.3
- Lie on your side to take pressure off the tailbone, and get out of bed by rolling onto your side and pushing up.1,2
- Ice wrapped in a towel for 10–20 minutes, up to 3 times a day, may help. A heat pack is another option.1,2
- If bowel movements are painful, avoid constipation with fluids and fiber, and ask a pharmacist about a stool softener.1,3
Stage 2: Support the pelvis
Strengthen the deep tummy, buttock and hip muscles that support the lower back and pelvis.
-
Abdominal Bracing (Core Activation)
Breathe normally while holding. Use this gentle tightening when lifting, bending or getting up.
Typical dose: Gently draw your lower tummy in; build up to 10-sec holds, 10 times2
-
Pelvic Tilts
Draw in your lower tummy and tuck your tailbone under to flatten your lower back.
Typical dose: Hold a few seconds while breathing normally, then relax; repeat 5–10 times
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Bridge Pose for Glute Activation
Lift your bottom only as high as is comfortable.
Typical dose: Hold 3–5 sec, building to 10 sec as able; repeat 5–10 times
-
Clamshells for Glute Medius
Keep your knees and heels together and do not let your pelvis rock backward as you lift.
Typical dose: 10 times each side2
- Do the exercises in positions that do not aggravate your pain.2
Stage 3: Stretch tight muscles
Ease tension in the buttock and hip muscles around the pelvis.
-
Piriformis Syndrome Stretches & Exercises
Place one ankle on the opposite knee and gently draw the legs toward your chest.
Typical dose: Piriformis stretch: hold 30 sec each side2
-
Pigeon Stretch
Skip this one if the position puts pressure on your tailbone.
Typical dose: Hold 30 sec each side2
- Stretch gently. A stretch should feel like a pull, not sharp pain.2
Want this as a checklist? Turn these exercises into a printable home program with videos and daily check-offs. Adjust the list and doses with your clinician.
Printable handout (PDF, 2 pages). Every exercise on this page with a usual starting amount, boxes for your clinician to write your plan, a pain guide and a 6-week tracker.
Download PDF A4 size Large printEn español: PDF · A4
Watch the exercises
Every exercise above links to its own page with a video and step-by-step instructions. Here are two to start with.
What to expect
These are what published guidance usually says. Your own recovery may be faster or slower.
| Question | What sources say |
|---|---|
| Typical recovery | Pain may improve after a few weeks, but it can sometimes last longer.1 |
| After childbirth | The tailbone can take 6–12 weeks to heal and the pain to settle.2 |
| Home care | Home care such as cushions, heat or cold, and pain relievers helps most people (about 9 in 10).4 |
| If it is not improving | See a doctor if pain has not improved after a few weeks of home care or is affecting daily life. Physical therapy, and sometimes injections, may be options.1 |
What to avoid or change for now
- Sitting for long periods, especially on hard surfaces.
- Slumping or sitting on one cheek.
- Straining on the toilet.
- Sitting straight up out of bed onto your tailbone.
When to get help
- Numbness or tingling in your legs, groin or around your bottom, or new trouble passing urine or stool. Go to the emergency department right away.4
- A high temperature, especially with redness, swelling or discharge near the tailbone, or pain in your tummy or lower back (possible infection). Get medical help the same day.1,4
- A lump or swelling near your tailbone.4
- Severe pain after a fall onto your bottom, especially if you have osteoporosis (possible fracture).
- A history of cancer, weight loss you cannot explain, or pain that keeps getting worse, including at night.
- Pain that spreads to your hips or lower back, lasts more than a few weeks, or interferes with daily life.1,4
For a medical emergency, call 911 (US and Canada), 999 (UK), 000 (Australia) or 112.
Next steps
Related guides: Herniated disc, or see all conditions.
Need a physical therapist? How to find one in the US or UK, including direct access and checking registration.
More exercises: browse the free exercise library, every one with a video.
Frequently asked questions
How should I sit with tailbone pain?
Sit with your lower back supported on a coccyx cushion, and avoid long periods of sitting. Leaning slightly forward onto your thighs, or sitting on two rolled towels in a V shape, can take pressure off the tailbone.
How long does tailbone pain last?
It often improves within a few weeks, but it can last longer. After childbirth it can take 6 to 12 weeks to settle.
Do exercises help coccydynia?
Pelvic floor exercises may help, and physical therapists commonly use exercises and stretches alongside posture advice and hands-on treatment.
What kind of cushion is best?
A specially designed coccyx cushion, or a U-shaped, wedge or gel cushion that reduces pressure on the tailbone, is commonly suggested.
When should I see a doctor for tailbone pain?
See a doctor if pain has not improved after a few weeks or is affecting your daily life. Get help urgently if it comes with a fever, numbness, trouble passing urine or stool, or a lump near the tailbone.
Sources
- NHS: Tailbone (coccyx) pain
- Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust: Coccyx pain following childbirth (physiotherapy leaflet)
- NHS Fife: Coccyx pain (patient leaflet)
- Cleveland Clinic: Coccydynia (tailbone pain)
Last checked October 2026. Found something out of date? Email hello@protocolarchive.com.
This guide summarizes published hospital, health-service and professional-body advice listed under Sources. It is general information, not medical advice, and does not replace an assessment by your own clinician, whose plan may differ for good reasons. Stop an exercise and get advice if it causes sharp or worsening pain. Protocol Archive is independent and is not affiliated with the NHS, AAOS or any hospital or video publisher named on this page.
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