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Musculoskeletal Sports and Spine Disorders pp 461–463Cite as

Coccyx Fracture and Dislocation

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Abstract

Coccyx (tailbone) fractures and dislocations can be challenging diagnoses to confirm and treat.

Patient history often includes tailbone trauma, although some dislocations occur via gradual ligamentous instability without any history of blunt trauma. Physical examination typically reveals focal coccyx tenderness to palpation. Accurate diagnosis requires proper imaging studies, which may include X-rays (radiographs), MRI, or CT scans. Treatment may include oral medications, nasal calcitonin (for fracture pain and bone healing), and local coccyx injections under image guidance (e.g., fluoroscopy). Appropriate medical care is crucial since coccydynia (coccygodynia, tailbone pain) is at high risk for becoming a chronic source of pain and disability that can significantly impair quality of life.

Keywords

  • Coccyx fracture
  • Coccyx dislocation
  • Coccydynia
  • Coccygodynia
  • Coccygeal
  • Injury
  • Tailbone
  • Pain

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Fig. 102.1
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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Coccyx Pain Center (www.TailboneDoctor.com), Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA

    Patrick M. Foye MD

  2. Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Multidisciplinary Pain Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA

    Jay M. Shah MD

  3. Garden State Pain Control Center, Department of Interventional Pain Medicine, Clifton, NJ, USA

    Dev Sinha MD

  4. Cornell Tri-Institutional Pain Fellowship, New York, NY, USA

    Jay M. Shah MD

Authors
  1. Patrick M. Foye MD
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  2. Jay M. Shah MD
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  3. Dev Sinha MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Patrick M. Foye MD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA

    MD Stuart B. Kahn

  2. Interventional Pain Management, San Antonio, Texas, USA

    MD Rachel Yinfei Xu

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Foye, P.M., Shah, J.M., Sinha, D. (2017). Coccyx Fracture and Dislocation. In: Kahn, S., Xu, R. (eds) Musculoskeletal Sports and Spine Disorders. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50512-1_102

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50512-1_102

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-50510-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-50512-1

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