recently when doing certain pilates exercises (such as rolling like a ball) my tailbone is killing me!!! i've been doing pilates for a year and half with no problems. however, i recently lost 20 pounds...could this be the problem? my skinnier butt? hahahahah...and if so, is there any way to ease the pain? it almost feels bruised after a workout. thanks
Cindy

Hi Cindy.....first, congrats on losing 20 lbs, that's a great feat and not an easy one to accomplish. Secondly, yes....that could be part of why your tailbone is sensitive---less padding! I have a few clients who have very tender tailbones, not much of a surplus of tissue there and/or were just given a more prominent bone structure and we give them little pads to use when rolling exercises are taking place. You could use two mats, you could just put 1/2 a mat in the middle of a mat so you have more in the center etc. Hope those suggestions help!

Hi Cindy,
I agree with Amy on needing padding and that this can be sturctural, not just weight loss. Her suggestion for padding will probably solve it.

I have found about 1 in about 75 people have this protruding tail bone and they often stop Pilates as it is too painful unless they learn that they need to pad their tail.

Another idea which I have found works is to take two small pads and place them on either side of the tail so there is space there for the tail to float, so when the person does roll up or teaser they are not avoiding the pain.

hope this helps.

Have done the two pads as well, yep, great relief indeed.

ooooh...my 2 favorite instructors!!! yay! thanks so much for responding...i am going to for sure try the padding...thank you!!
Cindy

I have this issue.. esp since I fell several month ago and landed square on a tailbone that already protudes! I wonder if it will ever heal properly? I still avoid roll ups and rolling due to it being so uncomfortable.. I love the suggestions of padding and am embarrased that I never thought of it!! I like the suggestion of padding either side , that makes sense to me. Any suggestions on what works well for padding and stays in place well?

HI Jamie, I used to use the blue mats we would use for stomach massage in teh old days.... to keep your butt from slipping, it is a special padded little square about 1/4 inch thick.
It is pretty firm but the purpose is to give the tail bone space.
You can always use a face towel ( 2 of them) and fold the same way as a simple solution.
By the way, sometime deep tissue work or a good myofaschia therpaist may be able to loosen up the tissue around the tail so the bones can return to their normal location - not your traditional massage! but if you up to it, and want to directly address this issue, it can work ( it did for me - I had a tail bone that had been pushed to one side after a heavy fall and it never felt quite right till I had this done, about 25 years later...)

myofascial massage...oooh...i get my back rolled and i LOVE the pain of it!!! however, i never thought about it helping something structural.
would it work to chop up a mat?

I suppose it could work - its really teh principle you need to make work for you - two smooth srufaces that are even to support your spine and give room for the tail.

Talk to your therapist about yoru tain bone...
Good luck.

Think I am going to stick with the padding for now. Since I fell & landed on that spot pretty hard I have a feeling I may have a slight hairline crack and kneading and massaging right now prob would make me cry.. but wonder if an x-ray would confirm that suspicion? Then I could maybe try the massage. Its been several mths now since the fall so think I will talk to doc next time I am in. Thanks for the suggestion!