Tailbone Pain and Cycling: 5 Solutions
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5 Ways to Get Rid of Tailbone Pain When Cycling

5 Ways to Get Rid of Tailbone Pain When Cycling
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Updated on August 6, 2025
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A long bike ride can, quite literally, be a pain in the butt. And bicycling-related tailbone pain can be more than just irritating: it can derail your training and even put you off from future cycling. Excess pressure on the tailbone, often caused by inadequate support or poor weight distribution, can result in a sore coccyx after a ride. A variety of riding errors and environmental conditions can also cause it. But by making a few small adjustments to your bike, you can go for longer rides more comfortably.

About 9 in 10 people with a tailbone injury fully recover with at-home remedies.

 If these aren’t effective for you, a healthcare professional may recommend nonsurgical or, very rarely, surgical treatments.

Why Does Cycling Cause Tailbone Pain?

The repetitive actions of bike riding, especially when riding for long distances, can trigger tailbone pain (also known as coccydynia). This can put continuous pressure on the tailbone.

 Also, sports that cause you to lean forward for long periods can lead to a misalignment of muscles at the base of the spine while increasing coccyx pressure.

You can also develop pain through a direct injury, such as falling off your bike and landing on your coccyx. Bruising or fractures are common causes of tailbone pain.

An incorrect bike setup, particularly in terms of saddle height, saddle tilt, and handlebar height, may play a minor role in causing pain. A study found small but nonsignificant differences in the body positions of cyclists who experienced pain and those who did not, as well as between those who experienced pain in different areas, including the lower back, buttocks, hips, knees, and upper body.

Some of the following factors can play a role in an unsuitable bike setup.

Handlebar height: Having your bike handlebars too high prevents your tailbone and spine from properly coping with irregularities and bumps in the road. Instead, it can jam your vertebrae together and place excess pressure on your tailbone. High handlebars can encourage an upright riding position, directing most of the rider’s weight into the glutes and sit bones, which can lead to coccyx pain.

Seat tilt: The angle at which your bike seat tilts can affect where pressure occurs at the contact point during cycling.

 Your seat should be parallel to the ground, so check to ensure it’s not tilted too far up or down, as this can cause pain points depending on the direction it’s tilted.

Seat height: Check the seat height. A seat that’s too low can also cause tailbone pain. A low seat allows you to rest more of your body weight onto your tailbone. When your heel is on the pedal, your leg should be straight at the lowest point.

If you have frequent tailbone issues after riding for long periods, stop in to your local bike shop for a professional bike fitting.

Five Ways to Help Prevent Tailbone Pain After Biking

If you’re already experiencing tailbone pain, taking a break from activities that may worsen the pain, like cycling, is vital.

And implement these preventive methods to help alleviate tailbone pain during future rides.

1. Explore Seat Types

Very hard seats increase pressure on the tailbone and risk bruising. It may seem that a highly cushioned seat is best for alleviating pain while cycling.

 But over-padding your saddle could do more harm than good by causing the coccyx to sink too far into the seat.

Instead, look for a bike seat that evenly supports your sit bones.

 A seat that features gel contours or is wider may also be more comfortable depending on your body.

2. Consider Padded Bike Shorts

Your cycling shorts can provide muscle support and compression during a bike ride. They also provide padding for your butt. By investing in a pair of cycle shorts that feature a padded chamois, you can eliminate inner-leg chafing and enjoy a more comfortable ride.

You may need to try a variety of bike shorts to find the pair that works best for you, and no rigorous studies have confirmed a link between these shorts and reducing coccyx pain.

3. Bridge Your Back

Try to limit time spent leaning back in your seat. The coccyx is the third leg of three bones that support your body weight in a seated position. Pain in this area typically increases when a person leans back in a seated position.

 Maintaining a neutral pelvis with forward rotation and avoiding slouching or arching the back flattens the lumbar spine and shifts weight onto proper support zones.

4. Rest Up, Then Take It Easy When You Come Back to Cycling

Finally, if you’re recovering from an injury, listen to your doctor’s advice on resting up and recovering, no matter how keen you are to jump back in the saddle.

Alter your training and rides to account for your sore tailbone by starting with short rides on a level route and building up your rides’ distance and difficulty over time. You can also split rides, so instead of doing a 60-minute journey, do half in the morning (30 minutes) and half later on.

That way, you can skip the second half if you feel any tailbone pain during the day. You’ll still have gotten a decent ride in the morning. By training and increasing ride lengths and speeds slowly, you can give your body time to heal.

5. Look After Tailbone Pain Between Rides

If you’ve got the go-ahead to cycle from your doctor, you can take steps while you’re working and moving around the house to relieve tailbone pain. These might include:

  • Taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which can reduce pain and swelling
  • Sitting on a donut- or wedged-shaped cushion to take the pressure off your tailbone
  • Taking hot baths to relax muscles and relieve pain
  • Applying hot or cold compresses to your lower back for around 20 to 30 minutes, a few times daily
  • If your tailbone hurts when you poop, using stool softeners to make passing poops easier

A doctor may prescribe several treatments that can help you relieve tailbone pain, such as:

  • A nerve block, in which a healthcare professional injects numbing medications and corticosteroids into the coccygeal nerve in your lower back
  • Massage therapy
  • Physical therapy to support your posture and stretch out your muscles
  • Acupuncture
  • Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)
In exceptional circumstances, a doctor may recommend surgery to remove part or all of the tailbone. A doctor won’t recommend surgery for coccydynia unless no other treatments have been successful in reducing your pain.

The Takeaway

  • Tailbone pain (coccydynia) is a common issue for cyclists. However, making adjustments to your bike setup can help prevent discomfort, and a professional bike fitting may help.
  • Consider experimenting with different bike seats and padded shorts to find what provides the most comfort for you, as limited evidence exists linking these directly to reduced pain.
  • Be sure to rest up and reapproach cycling slowly if you have to stop due to tailbone pain. Give your body time to heal, and build back up gradually.
  • If pain persists, consult with a healthcare professional to explore various treatment options, including medication or physical therapy, if necessary.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Tailbone Pain (Coccydynia). Cleveland Clinic. August 14, 2023.
  2. Tailbone Troubles: Understanding and Managing Coccydynia. APTA Pelvic Health. December 18, 2024.
  3. Tailbone Pain: Why You Might Have It and How to Treat It. Hospital for Special Surgery. April 17, 2024.
  4. Bini RR et al. Pain and body position on the bicycle in competitive and recreational road cyclists: A retrospective study. Sports Biomechanics. June 18, 2021.
  5. Guide to saddle comfort for women. Cycling UK.
  6. Make It Fit: Saddle Adjustments for Women. Adventure Cycling Association. December 10th, 2019.
  7. Coccyx Disorders . MSD Manual Professional Version. October 2024.
  8. Consequences of Using the Wrong Bike Saddle. USA Triathlon. May 2, 2024.
  9. Smallwood Lirette L et al. Coccydynia: An Overview of the Anatomy, Etiology, and Treatment of Coccyx Pain. The Ochsner Journal. 2014.
  10. Salvatore Vicari DS et al. Saddle Pressures Factors in Road and Off-Road Cyclists of Both Genders: A Narrative Review. Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology. 2023 May 25.
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Tara Collingwood, RDN

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Tara Collingwood, RDN, is a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, an American College of Sports Medicine–certified personal trainer, and a media spokesperson. As a sports dietitian, she has worked with the U.S. Tennis Association, the Orlando Magic, World Wrestling Entertainment, runDisney, the University of Central Florida, and numerous professional and amateur athletes. Collingwood is the author of Pregnancy Cooking and Nutrition for Dummies and a coauthor of the Flat Belly Cookbook for Dummies.

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Collingwood double-majored in dietetics as well as nutrition, fitness, and health at Purdue University and earned a master's degree in health promotion from Purdue University. 

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Kay Ireland specializes in health, fitness and lifestyle topics. She is a support worker in the neonatal intensive care and antepartum units of her local hospital and recently became a certified group fitness instructor.

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