Pelvic Girdle and Tailbone Pain

The pelvic girdle is the bony pelvis that surrounds the pelvic floor. It is made up of 4 major bones (innominates, sacrum, coccyx) and 3 joints (The SacroIliac Joints, Pubic Symphysis, and Sacrococcygeal joints), and it is where the hips and spine attach to the pelvis. It is supported externally by muscles and ligaments in the abdominal wall, hips, and spine, and internally by the pelvic floor muscles.

 

When the mechanics of the pelvic girdle and surrounding soft tissues are off (often occurring from pregnancy, falls onto the tailbone, or chronic postural stressors) this can create pain and dysfunction in any of these areas - often manifesting in pain in the pubic, tailbone, groin, hip, and back region. These abnormal mechanics can also put abnormal pressure on the pelvic floor and create Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, urinary and bowel problems.

 

The pelvis is a ring so all of these areas affect each other; therefore it is important we assess the pelvic girdle in all aspects - front, back, internally and externally in order to determine the culprit of symptoms and what to do about them.