Joining the coccyx club . . .

[wannask8]

Having just about gotten rid of a lousy cold, I headed to the rink this morning. Had a pretty decent hour, toward the end of which I was starting on a few last F crossovers, when -- whoops! -- my feet went out from under me. It was one of those freaky falls where I just couldn't turn a cheek, as it were, so I landed flat on my tailbone (rather than sitting on it), and on the bounce, whacked the back of my head (luckily my scrunchie cushioned the blow, and I didn't even see a single star). I was able to haul myself up and stretch out on a bleacher and calm down -- mostly was just rattled.

The MDs all say I'm doing the right things (ice, ibuprofen, and yes, Mrs. R., arnica), and no one felt I needed to come in and be checked, but owie! I definitely have a bad bruise, if not a break, right where -- um, how to put this delicately? -- my butt starts. I know this will just take time to heal, but how long? I know Dustin's story (a year -- noooo!), and my mother-in-law's took a couple of months, but really, all I want to know is when I can skate again? I know this type of thing has happened to many of you, so I value your input.

-- wannask8

[Jess-ka]

did you haev it checked out by a doctor??? they can tell you how long i think...and how fast it heals depends on you, how well you take care of it and how fast you heal in general...i think?? seeing as i am not a doctor i am not totally sure...i hope your bum feels better though

[MissIndigo]

>.<

Ouch. I feel your pain...this is probably my most feared and dreaded fall, save breaking something.

Get a butt donut for yourself to sit on while you heal. It helps, and takes some pressure off the area so it can heal. These are available at most drugstores and medical supply stores, or your doctor could possibly give you one. It can take a few days, if not a week, to completely heal, so I'd lean towards the side of caution and stay off ice for 5-7 days. Nothing worse that reinjuring the area again!

I'm glad your head was protected, but I'm sorry your butt's in pain. Feel better soon!

[Jillianioso]

I can totally sympathize! I few years back I went off the back of my blade when taking off for an axel... jumped with the hugest lean and landed smack on my bum! It took a couple weeks before I could sit properly and a couple between 1-3 months before I could jump and spin (especially sit spins!!!!) Ya its definately not fun. I hope it heals quickly for you!

[RMluver]

Isn't it funny how when you fall on something relatively easy like crosscuts or a 3turn it hurts more than falling on a jump? lol! My suggestion would have been to do some stroking after the fall because it doesn't hurt so much afterwards (but that isn't going to help now! lol) Lots of ice and little amounts of activity for a few days. You should be back on the ice soon enough!
Hope your bum gets better!!:)
Caitlin :halo:

[SDFanatic]

Get better soon too! I've been lucky to avoid my tailbone so far, my left bum and most likely my hip are still sore. Intersting about the hair scrunchie, as I've asked others if it helped to keep the head better protected when they fell. And everybody told me no, (which is a good thing as I really didn't want to start growing my hair long!)But glad your scrunchie saved your head, I've hit it twice and its not fun!

Steven

[wannask8]

My orthopedist finally left me a return message tonight (of course, I missed the call) saying to call him Monday. You know what my first question will be! None of my docs seem too think I need to see them at this point, though – probably because one can’t exactly put one’s butt in a sling! Meanwhile, I've got my little cushioned donut . . ..

Caitlin, I actually did stroke a couple of laps just after this happened – I felt like I needed that to stretch things out.

Steven, maybe I'm giving the scrunchie too much credit and just got lucky and didn’t hit my head that hard (it was a secondary impact). Still felt like a good whack, though.

Thanks much for the support, everyone -- and the sympathy doesn't hurt, either!

-- wannask8

[blurrysarah]

Ouch, I know how this feels. One day during a session I was practicing my scratch spin. I was in the middle of a miraculously fast and centered one when my coach exclaimed from behind me "SARAH!". Scared the living daylights out of me, fell off the back of my blade and landed smack down on my tailbone. It was one of those charming falls where you can feel the shock travel all the way up your spine into your head, to give you a nice headache.

[Mrs Redboots]

Owww! Oh, that does hurt so much, I do know! Been there and done that, and why, oh why doesn't one land on the padded part?

I am sure you won't be off skating for long - once it stops being sore, which it will in a few days if you are sensible about treating it. But my deepest sympathy in the meantime!

[NickiT]

Ouchies!!!! Poor you!!! That happened to me once. I fell so hard on my coccyx I couldn't get up for a good 10 minutes afterwards. I have to admit that it did hurt for a long time afterwards. The initial pain of the fall wore off after a week or two but I had to be very careful how I sat down for a good three months afterwards. You've certainly done all the right things though. Definitely keep up with the icing as this really does help with these sort of injuries, and take care!

Nicki

[JDC1]

You have my total sympathy, I fell on my coccyx once while standing still, how brilliant is that!

It's good to get it checked out if the pain continues to be acute, it took almost a month for the pain to totally go away for me.

[Lutzgirl]

i think maybe you should check this out befoe going skating again!

You never no it could be more seroius than you think and may even hae long term efects!:)

[sk8pics]

I fell backwards over another skater once, and landed on my tailbone, too. I actually went to the doctor the next day, and he orderd x-rays to make sure that the tip of my coccyx wasn't broken off. Yes, you can't exactly put your butt in a sling, but if you broke a piece of bone off that would not be good. In my case, my lower back was also in spasms which the doctor could feel, although I only knew that I was sore and couldn't tell my back was in trouble. And for a couple of weeks at least, it hurt when I would take a step up onto a curb or stairs. I would say it took about a month for me to really be okay, but I skated again 3 or 4 days later, so I wouldn't lose my nerve.

If it doesn't seem to get better you might want to see your doctor.

Good luck!
Pat

[jazzpants]

A funny story to add on this coccyx club...

A few months back, I have a skater friend who had fallen on the ice and she's injured her tailbone or something. I later started hearing that she has a new best friend named "Bob." I later figured out that "Bob" is this "air pillow" in the shape of a giant donut that she sits. (Hallowed out part, of course, is for the very sensitive tailbone...) ;) I've recently met Bob a few weeks ago! :lol:

I just hope my SkatingSafe tailbone pad will continue to do the trick for me! ("Oh, PLEEEEEZE!!!!") ;)

[wannask8]

Originally posted by jazzpants
A few months back, I have a skater friend who had fallen on the ice and she's injured her tailbone or something. I later started hearing that she has a new best friend named "Bob." I later figured out that "Bob" is this "air pillow" in the shape of a giant donut that she sits.

I just hope my SkatingSafe tailbone pad will continue to do the trick for me! ("Oh, PLEEEEEZE!!!!") ;)

Yup, I have the donut -- although I couldn't bring myself to use it at a nice restaurant last night, opting instead to balance on alternating cheeks through dinner, which was fine for the short term.

I have been romancing those crashpads for a while and will definitely have to get one to protect against further injury while things are still healing.

I am feeling considerably better than I was a couple of days ago, but I'm living on Advil, so who really knows. Standing, walking up stairs and bending (a bit) forward are vastly improved, but getting in and out of the car and driving are a nightmare. I'm supposed to call the orthopedist tomorrow, but I really want to SEE him and will press for an appointment, just in case.

You guys are great -- knowing others went through this and lived to tell the tale helps tons!

-- wannask8

[Lutzgirl]

Hey just a quick update for me! Did you get it checked out yet or have you just left it?:) :arrow: :roll:

[Elsy2]

I just wanted to add advice given me by a very seasoned hockey guy....he said the best thing for a tailbone injury (providing it's not a serious injury like a chip or break...) is to get back on the ice and keep moving. Staying active will help it heal faster in the long run he said.

And so the few times I've bruised my tailbone, I've gotten back on the ice ASAP with lots of stroking. It took perhaps 3 weeks last time to be out of pain.

I did see some nice gel pads on sale at a competition made for the tailbone area. Pricey, but my gel knee pads are worth every penny.
I think the vendor is Skatingsafe?

Oh....I missed that Jazzpants already recommended the skatingsafe pad! These are great!

[wannask8]

Finally got to see my orthopedist today, and the good news is that nothing is broken, yippee! It seems that I have a sacral bone bruise -- it's actually a little higher up than the tailbone. He said I'd done everything right (stretched out immediately after with a bit of light stroking; ice therapy for a day and a half; warm a.m. shower after that; steady diet of Advil; butt donut) and that it'll just take some time to feel better. I've got about 2 weeks' worth of Celebrex, which will supposedly get the job done better than Advil, and a prescription for physical therapy 2-3 times per week for 3-4 weeks. He also recommended a warm shower each morning and icing in the evening after a day at my desk job.

Best of all, I negotiated a return to the ice when I feel comfortable enough to do a little light stroking (hopefully I will soon have a Skatesafe crash pad) even if I'm not 100% yet.

Thanks again to all of you fellow sufferers and well wishers who chimed in on this!

-- wannask8