Tailbone (coccyx)

The tailbone (coccyx) is the small bone at the lower tip of the spine. The most common cause of injury to the tailbone is a backward fall onto a hard surface, such as a slippery floor or ice.

Review Date: 2/8/2024
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

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