Lower Ab Exercises and Tailbone Pain
echofm1
Posts: 471 Member
I've had this issue for a while where doing lower ab exercises that need me to lift my legs into the air hurts my tailbone. The best solution I've found online is to use a mat, but I already use a 2" thick mat and it's still an issue. Putting my hands under it helps, but can hurt the effectiveness of the exercise, and using a towel or a pilliow causes other back issues for me. I saw a video about preventing lower back pain that said just really tightening all your abs is the answer; I'm working on that right now, but I'm not sure if it's the answer for tailbone pain.
Has anyone else had this issue and found a way to fix it?
Has anyone else had this issue and found a way to fix it?
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Replies
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How does it feel if you put your hands under your glutes rather than the tailbone?0
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DancingMoosie wrote: »How does it feel if you put your hands under your glutes rather than the tailbone?
I just got done with a really hard legs/abs workout so it might be skewed, but it definitely eases some of the tailbone issue without feeling quite as awkward as putting my hands under my tailbone. The issue isn't entirely gone when I do that, but manageable at least.0 -
My suggestion, forget that exercise and find something else.
I've never done ab exercises or even "core" exercises and from 2012 - 2016 I had strong visible abs -- hopefully on my way back to that fitness level again in 2021. My routine was running and 5x5 Strong lifts -- no core exercises just simple strength training.
There are hundreds of different exercises that will strengthen your core and burn calories, if you try one that hurts, ditch it and move on and try another.
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My guess is that your position is not quite right, that you're putting too much pressure on your sacrum. I could be wrong, but it's possible your using a posterior pelvic tilt to help raise the legs, which would be putting more pressure on your tailbone. I also wonder if trying to do them more slowly/with more control would help , really focusing on using the abs and not hip flexors. The cue I've often heard while doing these is to keep a neutral pelvic alignment and create a little "mouse house" under your low back.
Like someone else said, though, if it continues to hurt I'd find other exercises or modifications that don't hurt.1 -
Not sure if this will help or not but I have a couple of sitting cushions that have a little cutout area for the coccyx to supposedly relieve any pressure on the tailbone. Would it be worth it to have a little hole cut out of the yoga mat so that nothing presses on your tailbone but you don’t have to support with your hands or use any pillows? I don’t know, just an idea, kinda like how they have a hole for your face on a massage table I suppose.1
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I used to really struggle with tailbone pain and kept getting thicker mats. I learned that as I did the excercises my pelvis would go into an anterior tilt as I lowered and lifted my legs cause rubbing and pressure on my tailbone. The only thing that really helped was learning how to use my abdominals to keep a neutral pelvis throughout the excercises. Working on core bracing and modifying my excercises until I could keep a neutral pelvis is the only thing that fixed it!3
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Grace_spaceship wrote: »I used to really struggle with tailbone pain and kept getting thicker mats. I learned that as I did the excercises my pelvis would go into an anterior tilt as I lowered and lifted my legs cause rubbing and pressure on my tailbone. The only thing that really helped was learning how to use my abdominals to keep a neutral pelvis throughout the excercises. Working on core bracing and modifying my excercises until I could keep a neutral pelvis is the only thing that fixed it!
It's great to hear that trying to focus on core bracing will help the problem over time. Though I've also appreciated everyone else's suggestions! Particularly the "If it hurts, don't do it." I tend to keep that in mind for other exercises, but it's always been a hard one when it comes to core exercises because I really want a stronger core. Not necessarily visible abs, because that dream is a LONG ways away, but just general fitness.1 -
Grace_spaceship wrote: »I used to really struggle with tailbone pain and kept getting thicker mats. I learned that as I did the excercises my pelvis would go into an anterior tilt as I lowered and lifted my legs cause rubbing and pressure on my tailbone. The only thing that really helped was learning how to use my abdominals to keep a neutral pelvis throughout the excercises. Working on core bracing and modifying my excercises until I could keep a neutral pelvis is the only thing that fixed it!
It's great to hear that trying to focus on core bracing will help the problem over time. Though I've also appreciated everyone else's suggestions! Particularly the "If it hurts, don't do it." I tend to keep that in mind for other exercises, but it's always been a hard one when it comes to core exercises because I really want a stronger core. Not necessarily visible abs, because that dream is a LONG ways away, but just general fitness.
Sweetie, visible abs are created with lowering your fat layer that is covering them. Everyone has abs. You don’t needed to do crunches if it hurts you.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p11 -
Are you pushing your entire back into the floor?0
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A small suggestion, if you have a large exercise ball you can do many ab exercises on there. I don't personally use one, but my girlfriend had a tailbone issue and her PT suggested the ball. She has had no pain since using it. (Dont try lifting both of you legs at once, she rolled right off.)
Good luck1 -
Grace_spaceship wrote: »I used to really struggle with tailbone pain and kept getting thicker mats. I learned that as I did the excercises my pelvis would go into an anterior tilt as I lowered and lifted my legs cause rubbing and pressure on my tailbone. The only thing that really helped was learning how to use my abdominals to keep a neutral pelvis throughout the excercises. Working on core bracing and modifying my excercises until I could keep a neutral pelvis is the only thing that fixed it!
It's great to hear that trying to focus on core bracing will help the problem over time. Though I've also appreciated everyone else's suggestions! Particularly the "If it hurts, don't do it." I tend to keep that in mind for other exercises, but it's always been a hard one when it comes to core exercises because I really want a stronger core. Not necessarily visible abs, because that dream is a LONG ways away, but just general fitness.
I broke my spine 2 years ago so it's been an especially slow journey to get core strength for me! But I hope you can find a way to do it without pain! Starting with other core excercises that don't hurt is good idea! Also it's amazing how much core work can go into other exercises. Dead lifting has really helped me a lot, so has learning proper breathing techniques when core bracing. Good luck!1 -
See if this does a better job. Sit near the very edge of a chair. Now lean back and starting with your feet on the floor, just pull your knees up towards your chest. Return to start WITHOUT touching your feet on the floor. This is to help strengthen lower abs BUT DOES NOT get rid of ab fat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9ltA3GRs9s
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Go Walmart and get one of these ab wheels for $12 great overall core movement.
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