How Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Causes Tailbone Pain (2025 Guide)

If you’ve been dealing with persistent or sharp pain in your coccyx, especially when sitting, transitioning between positions, or during bowel movements—you might think it’s due to injury, bad posture, or sitting too long.

But here’s what most people don’t realize: pelvic floor dysfunction is one of the most overlooked causes of tailbone pain.

Here is a video explaining pelvic floor dysfunction:

Your pelvic floor is like a hammock of muscles that supports your bladder, bowel, uterus (or prostate), and yes—your tailbone.

When this system is tight, weak, or out of sync, it pulls on the coccyx or compresses the surrounding nerves. That pull? That tension? That burning ache after a long day of sitting?

That’s not just your tailbone. That’s your pelvic floor crying out for attention.

1. Muscle Tightness and Imbalance

An overactive pelvic floor (especially in women who’ve had trauma, birth, or stress) can pull on the ligaments and fascia attached to the tailbone. Think of it like a tight rubber band pulling the base of your spine—ouch.

2. Nerve Compression

The pudendal nerve and other delicate structures run near the tailbone. When pelvic floor muscles are clenched or dysfunctional, they can pinch or irritate these nerves—leading to tingling, burning, or electric-like sensations.

3. Postural Dysfunction

Your posture is shaped from the ground up—and the pelvic floor is your foundation. A dysfunctional pelvic floor can lead to misalignments in your spine and pelvis, putting excess strain on the tailbone during sitting or standing.

If your tailbone pain is linked to pelvic floor dysfunction, you might notice:

• Pain when sitting, especially on hard surfaces
• A deep ache in the tailbone after standing too long
• Sharp or burning pain during bowel movements
• Discomfort during sex or when inserting a tampon
• A constant feeling of tightness or pressure in the pelvic region
• Radiating pain to your hips, glutes, or lower back

If you nodded “yes” to even one of these, it’s time to listen in.

👉 Take our free pelvic floor self-check to find out your HEAL Score: https://moonrise-heal.scoreapp.com/

Understanding the why behind your pain helps you heal smarter. Here are common culprits:

Childbirth or Pregnancy

Vaginal delivery or even pregnancy alone can overstretch or tighten pelvic tissues—impacting tailbone alignment and function.

Sitting Too Much (Especially Poorly)

Long hours at your desk or in your car create tension in the glutes and pelvic floor, compressing the coccyx over time.

A Fall or Old Injury

Even if you’ve “healed” from a coccyx injury years ago, the muscles around it may still be guarding—and locked tight.

Chronic Constipation or Straining

Straining puts downward pressure on the pelvic floor, leading to dysfunction and tailbone pulling.

Pelvic Surgeries or Conditions

Scars from surgeries, endometriosis, or even prostate issues can create fascial restrictions or compensations that affect the tailbone.

Start with a Self-Assessment

We recommend beginning with a comprehensive pelvic health scorecard to understand your unique symptom picture:

https://moonrise-heal.scoreapp.com/

Then, Seek a Skilled Pelvic Floor Specialist

An expert will:

• Review your symptom history
• Perform a pelvic floor physical exam (internal or external)
• Use gentle palpation to assess tension, strength, or trigger points
• Refer for imaging only if absolutely necessary

You don’t have to live with this pain. And you don’t need surgery or endless medication. Here’s what we recommend:

Holistic Pelvic Floor Therapy

Gentle movement practices like Hypopressives, fascial release, breathwork, and pelvic realignment can bring deep relief by restoring balance and tone.

Myofascial Release & Manual Therapy

Targeted hands-on techniques to release tension around the coccyx and pelvic muscles, promoting healing and reducing pressure on nerves.

Tailbone-Friendly Posture Practices

Use coccyx cushions, align your spine with breath and core engagement, and practice “sitting bones down, heart lifted” to relieve strain.

Somatic Repatterning

Sometimes, tailbone pain has emotional roots. Trauma-informed breathwork and gentle awareness-based practices can release long-held tension stored in the pelvic bowl.

❌ Kegels (especially if your pelvic floor is already tight)

❌ Ignoring the pain or just “living with it”

❌ Relying only on medication without addressing root causes

If your pain is…

• Persistent despite rest
• Accompanied by changes in bowel or bladder function
• Causing numbness, tingling, or shooting pain
• Affecting your emotional health or quality of life

…then don’t wait. Book with a pelvic floor therapist trained in tailbone dysfunction. Healing is so much faster when you start early.

Tailbone pain can feel like a lonely, invisible battle—but it’s often a sign your pelvic floor needs support, not silence.

At MoonRise, we’ve helped thousands of women heal coccyx pain holistically—without surgery, shame, or endless doctor visits. And we’ve seen again and again: your body wants to heal.

Your first step? Listen in. Take the free pelvic floor check-in to get your personalized HEAL Score.

👉 Start here: https://moonrise-heal.scoreapp.com/

Your tailbone—and your whole body—will thank you.