Ow, ow, tailbone ow

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ceiswyn
ceiswyn Posts: 2,256 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So now that I've lost a significant amount of weight, I'm finding that pretty much any exercise that involves sitting or lying on my back on a mat hurts my tailbone to some degree.

Straight crunches I can cope with as long as I don't come up too high. But anything that involves twisting (eg bicycle crunches) or balancing on my bum is just agonising.

Is there something I can do to make these things less agonising? Pillows work to some extent when I'm doing bodyweight work at home, but I can't take them to the gym with me! Or are there different exercises I can substitute that work the same muscles without making my coccyx feel like one huge bruise?

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  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,754 Member
    edited June 2018
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    Do you own a fitness ball?

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  • ceiswyn
    ceiswyn Posts: 2,256 Member
    edited June 2018
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    No, and I don't have storage space for one.
    Plus carrying it on a crowded commuter train and then uphill for a mile and a half to the gym could be awkward :)
  • Vune
    Vune Posts: 672 Member
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    Fold up a yoga/exercise mat.
  • Fflpnari
    Fflpnari Posts: 975 Member
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    strengthen your butt
  • annette_15
    annette_15 Posts: 1,657 Member
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    planks?
  • RadishEater
    RadishEater Posts: 470 Member
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    I think it might get better over time. The first couple of spinning classes my bones felt bruised!!! If I take a break from horse riding, then saddle feels way more uncomfortable when I get back in it.

    I would try to see if you could incorporate just a little into your routine at a time and gradually increase (as long as it does not worsen)

    For exercises what about
    1) planks and variations, spidermans, pushups use core
    2) hip bridges
    3) lying down, you can put your legs in the air and do lots of core work by moving
    -scissor kicks
    -legs straight up and try to touch your toes, then outside of your toes
    -drawing circles with your toes in the iar
    I feel like those usually dont have much weight on the tail bone.......however im quite pear shaped so having weight on my tailbone has never been a problem

    4) lastly, a bit out of the box but any episode of INSANITY has made my core die in the past as well as lots of other parts of me and very little of it involves being on the ground
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,210 Member
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    ceiswyn wrote: »
    Or are there different exercises I can substitute that work the same muscles

    If you're not currently doing heavy deadlifts and squats, i'd start with those for a while before doing ab-specific exercises. Ab exercises are generally overrated.. especially the ones on your back, which is not how we tend to use our abs in the real world. :+1:
  • ceiswyn
    ceiswyn Posts: 2,256 Member
    edited June 2018
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    Cherimoose wrote: »
    ceiswyn wrote: »
    Or are there different exercises I can substitute that work the same muscles

    If you're not currently doing heavy deadlifts and squats, i'd start with those for a while before doing ab-specific exercises. Ab exercises are generally overrated.. especially the ones on your back, which is not how we tend to use our abs in the real world. :+1:

    Oh, I do plenty of deadlifts and squats. And I can plank as long as you like :) I’m not new to this; I’ve been doing strength work for a good year and a half. All these movements used to be fine, but have gradually become painful with time and continued weight loss.

    I’m mostly interested in alternatives/solutions for the twisting type exercises that work the obliques, and that I really can’t do at all anymore. I might try the extra-folded-up-yoga-mat thing. Though I’ve just discovered that my tailbone now hurts with an entire mattress under it, just lying in bed, so I may be SOL!
  • saires_au
    saires_au Posts: 175 Member
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    Could you try incorporating some cable work for your obliques at the gym? There are lots of standing options if you google
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
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    This happened to me when I first lost weight, and then went away over time. I had to sit on a very soft cushion. There used to be a thread on it if you want to try a search.
  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
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    Dumbbell side bends will work your obliques quite well.
  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,298 Member
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    I thought you can find that size of ball which can be inflated each time you use it. I suppose having access to compressed air might be difficult and an air bed inflator would be a workout in itself, all the best.
  • Dee_D33
    Dee_D33 Posts: 106 Member
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    Make sure you don’t have a pilonidal. When I started excercising the sweat along with the various excercises putting pressure on my coccyx caused a “bruised” feeling. I stopped and it didn’t go away and turns out I had a pilonidal cyst. It’s something that many people have but don’t notice until something like hitting or irritating it causes a flare up. I had to have a pit picking done and can no longer sit for elongated periods of time without a coccyx pillow or workout without a ball or thick mat. It went from annoying to the most painful thing I’ve ever endured, so just a heads up to keep an eye out for inflammation or tenderness for more than a couple days!
  • emmamcgarity
    emmamcgarity Posts: 1,593 Member
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    I use a fitness ball at home for all the exercises you have described.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,210 Member
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    ceiswyn wrote: »
    I’m mostly interested in alternatives/solutions for the twisting type exercises that work the obliques

    Cable twists, using a resistance band. Much more functional than supine exercises. Check Youtube for tutorials.

    For the obliques, the ab wheel works them harder than any ab exercise. It's not twisting, but the primary function of the obliques isn't twisting, it's bracing. :+1:
  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
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    Side bends with dumbbells or plates, woodchoppers, crossbody cable (or band) pulls.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    No one expects you to carry a fitness ball to the gym. Check and see if your gym has them available for use.
    Camping stores have small inflatable seat cushions that deflate and roll up to fit into one's pack. They would also fit into a gym bag and self inflate in about 30 seconds.
  • VUA21
    VUA21 Posts: 2,072 Member
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    ceiswyn wrote: »
    So now that I've lost a significant amount of weight, I'm finding that pretty much any exercise that involves sitting or lying on my back on a mat hurts my tailbone to some degree.

    Straight crunches I can cope with as long as I don't come up too high. But anything that involves twisting (eg bicycle crunches) or balancing on my bum is just agonising.

    Is there something I can do to make these things less agonising? Pillows work to some extent when I'm doing bodyweight work at home, but I can't take them to the gym with me! Or are there different exercises I can substitute that work the same muscles without making my coccyx feel like one huge bruise?

    Can you hold yourself up from overhead, just an arm hang? If so, hanging crunches (bring your legs up instead of upper body).

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