Tailbone pain from motorcycle riding can come from hours of pressure on the coccyx, the small bone at the bottom of your spine. It can also come from an earlier fall. The NHS lists falls, long spells of sitting, poor posture, and a body weight that is too high or too low as common causes. This article explains how your tailbone takes weight on a seat, what hospital and government health pages say about sitting with a sore tailbone, what riders can try, and which signs mean you should stop riding and get care. The sources we read include no study of tailbone pain in motorcycle riders, so each section says where its advice comes from.
Key Takeaways
- Your tailbone is one of three points that carry your weight when you sit, along with your two sit bones (Ochsner Journal review).
- The NHS names falls, long periods of sitting, poor posture and too much or too little body weight as common causes.
- Hospital pages suggest sitting less, keeping weight on your hips and thighs, and using a wedge or cutout cushion. Those pages are about everyday sitting, not motorcycle seats, and a 2013 review found the evidence thin.
- Cleveland Clinic says people get better with home remedies in 90% of cases. Pain after a serious crash, numbness, bladder or bowel changes, or a fever are reasons to stop riding and get medical care.
This is general information, not medical advice. Stop riding and get emergency care if your tailbone pain started after a serious crash. Do the same if it comes with a loss of feeling around your genitals or anus, weakness, tingling or numbness in both legs, or changes in bladder or bowel control. The NHS back pain page lists these signs as reasons for emergency help. See a doctor if the pain has not improved after a few weeks of home care or limits your daily activities, as the NHS tailbone page advises.
What your tailbone does when you sit
The tailbone is a small bone at the bottom of your spine, and it helps carry your weight when you sit. Its medical name is the coccyx. Cleveland Clinic describes it as three to five fused bones that help steady you and support your weight when you sit down. A 2014 review in the Ochsner Journal calls it one leg of a tripod, with the two sit bones as the other legs. HSS (Hospital for Special Surgery) says the tailbone and two rounded pelvic bones help you keep your balance on a seat.
When the tailbone is irritated, sitting often makes it worse. The NHS says the pain is often dull and achy, with occasional sharp pains. It may be worse while you sit, when you sit down or stand up, and when you bend forward. Doctors call tailbone pain coccydynia (cock-si-DIN-ee-a), a name HSS explains as coccyx plus the word for pain.
Why tailbone pain from motorcycle riding builds over a long day
None of the sources we read measures tailbone pain in motorcycle riders, but the causes that health sources list fit a long day on a bike. Cycling and rowing are the sports these pages name, and both mean sitting and leaning for long stretches.
| Possible cause | What the source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A fall onto the tailbone | Falling backward onto a hard surface is the most common cause of tailbone injury. Most are bruises or pulled ligaments, and breaks are uncommon. | MedlinePlus |
| Long spells of sitting | Repeated or prolonged strain, such as sitting a long time while driving or cycling, is a common cause. Hard surfaces add pressure. | NHS, Cleveland Clinic |
| Leaning forward for hours | Cycling and rowing, where you lean forward for a long time, can put extra pressure on the tailbone. | HSS |
| Poor sitting posture | Both pages list it as a cause. | NHS, UMass Memorial Health |
| Less padding | People lose fat under the skin here with age, and a low body weight also means less cushioning. | HSS, Cleveland Clinic |
| Body weight | The NHS lists being overweight or underweight. A 2014 review lists obesity among the risk factors. | NHS, Ochsner Journal |
| No clear cause | The NHS says the cause is sometimes unknown. | NHS |
Age deserves a second look if you ride into your 50s, 60s and 70s. HSS says people lose fat under the skin around the tailbone as they age, and Cleveland Clinic says less fat means less cushioning there. That is our reading, not a finding from a study of riders, but it may explain why a seat that once felt fine now aches sooner.
How your sitting posture can affect tailbone pain
Poor sitting posture is a listed cause of tailbone pain, so how you sit on the seat is worth a look. The NHS advises sitting with good posture and your lower back supported. UMass Memorial Health suggests shifting your weight forward onto your hipbones and thighs to keep pressure off the tailbone. Cleveland Clinic lists physical therapy among its treatments, to stretch your muscles and improve your posture.
All of these tips are written for everyday sitting. None of the pages we read describes a motorcycle's seating position, so riders have to adapt them.
What hospital and government pages say about sitting with a sore tailbone
The pages agree on the basics: sit less, take pressure off the tailbone, and consider a cushion shaped for the job.
| Source | What it suggests for sitting |
|---|---|
| NHS | Sit with good posture and your lower back supported, use a specially designed coccyx cushion, and do not sit for a long time. |
| Cleveland Clinic | Use a donut pillow or a wedge-shaped gel cushion, and avoid sitting for long periods, especially on hard surfaces. |
| MedlinePlus | Use a cushion or gel donut with a hole in the center, avoid sitting a lot and hard surfaces, and shift from one buttock to the other. |
| HSS | Avoid sitting too much, choose a supportive, cushioned seat that is not too soft, and consider a wedge cushion with a coccyx cutout. |
| UMass Memorial Health | Shift your weight forward onto your hipbones and thighs, or sit on a special cushion. |
Two points stand out for riders. First, HSS warns that a seat that is too soft can make symptoms worse, so softer is not always better. Second, the cushions these pages name are donut, wedge or cutout designs for everyday sitting, and none of the pages tests a cushion on a motorcycle.
The advice is consistent, but the proof is thin. A 2013 systematic review of conservative treatments found seven papers, two of them randomized trials, with evidence rated moderate to very low in quality. Its authors could not name the best option. A 2026 review of 42 studies lists education, ergonomic advice, offloading strategies, simple painkillers and physiotherapy as first-line steps. The Ochsner Journal review reports that conservative treatment works in 90% of cases. So many people improve with simple steps, but which step does the work is not well tested.
What riders can try on the next long ride
These ideas adapt the sitting advice above to a bike, and none of the sources we read has tested them on riders. Treat them as points to discuss with your doctor, not as a treatment plan.
- Plan stops before the ache starts. The NHS says not to sit for a long time. The Iron Butt Association's long-distance riding tips favor using a stop to take a walk and stretch tired, sore muscles.
- Check how you sit, and shift your weight at stops. UMass Memorial Health suggests weight forward onto your hipbones and thighs, and MedlinePlus suggests moving from one buttock to the other. Change position only when traffic and the road make it safe.
- Be careful with very soft seats and pads. HSS says a seat should be supportive but not too soft.
- Ask for evidence when you shop. The clinical advice above is for cutout, wedge or donut cushions made for everyday sitting. If a seat or pad is sold for tailbone comfort, ask what it has been tested on.
- Follow the NHS self-care list after the ride. The NHS lists an ice pack wrapped in a towel for 20 to 30 minutes, a heat pack, lying on your side, and anti-inflammatory painkillers such as ibuprofen. Ask a pharmacist or doctor whether they suit you.
For more on riding comfort, browse the Hexrider comfort blog and the long-distance riding blog.
When to stop riding and see a doctor
A few signs mean you should stop riding and get care at once, and others mean you should book a doctor's visit soon. The NHS back pain page lists these as reasons for emergency care if you have back pain and:
- pain, tingling, weakness or numbness in both legs
- a loss of feeling around your genitals or anus
- changes in your bladder or bowels, such as difficulty peeing or not being able to control them
- pain that started after a serious accident, such as a car accident (for a rider, a hard crash)
The NHS page lists a few more signs, so read it in full. It also says not to drive yourself to hospital, and we would add: do not ride there. MedlinePlus says to call 911 or your local emergency number if a spinal cord injury is suspected, you cannot move, or the pain is severe.
Book a visit soon if any of these apply:
- tailbone pain that has not improved after a few weeks of home treatment, or that affects your daily activities (NHS)
- a high temperature with tailbone pain and pain somewhere else, such as your tummy or lower back (NHS)
- a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, chills, redness or swelling, or a new sore in the cleft of the buttocks, especially one that drains pus (UMass Memorial Health)
- a sudden increase in pain or swelling, an injury that does not seem to be healing as expected, or prolonged constipation (MedlinePlus aftercare page)
If you hurt your tailbone in a fall, the MedlinePlus aftercare page says a bruise takes about four weeks to heal and a fracture 8 to 12 weeks. Ask your doctor when it is safe to ride again.
Where a strap-on seat pad fits in
Hexrider sells the Hexcushion, so read this section with that in mind. The Hexrider product page describes a strap-on pad with hexagon cells, an open channel down the center and straps that hook under the seat. That channel is not the same as the wedge or donut cushions above, and the sources we read include no study of it.
Photo from a Hexcushion customer review, June 2026. Seats and results vary.
One rider writes:
"rode over 800 miles in 3 days, no pressure on tailbone"
— a Hexcushion customer review, July 2026
Another rider writes:
"So with the pad it cuts down on the amount of room I have to move back, and sitting where I normally sit puts pressure on my tailbone."
— a Hexcushion customer review, April 2025
Others report comfort for the first couple of hours and soreness after that, and one says tailbone pain was still severe with the pad. To weigh it against a new seat, see compare seat options and the rider reviews.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my tailbone hurt when I bike?
Long spells of sitting put pressure and strain on the tailbone, and cycling is a named example. The NHS lists sitting a long time while driving or cycling, poor posture and an earlier fall among common causes. HSS says leaning forward for a long time in sports like cycling and rowing can add pressure. None of the sources we read tests this in motorcycle riders. If the pain began after a fall or crash, ask a doctor to check it.
How to avoid tailbone pain when riding a motorcycle?
None of the sources we read gives a tested plan for riders. Cleveland Clinic advises avoiding long periods of sitting, HSS says to avoid sitting too much, and UMass Memorial Health suggests keeping weight on your hips and thighs. HSS adds that a seat should be supportive but not too soft. The Iron Butt Association's tips favor using stops to walk and stretch. The NHS says to see a doctor if the pain has not improved after a few weeks of home treatment.
How to sit with tailbone pain?
The NHS advises sitting with good posture and your lower back supported, using a specially designed coccyx cushion, and not sitting for a long time. UMass Memorial Health suggests shifting your weight forward onto your hipbones and thighs. MedlinePlus suggests a cushion or gel donut with a hole in the center and moving from one buttock to the other. These tips are for everyday sitting, so on a bike ask a doctor or physical therapist what suits you.
About this article
The Hexrider team wrote this article; we sell a seat pad and are not medical professionals. We chose sources from government health pages, hospital patient pages and peer-reviewed reviews, and we link each one so you can check it. It was last updated on 2026-11-09 and is general information, not medical advice. To reach us, use the Hexrider contact page.
Sources
- NHS, "Tailbone (coccyx) pain", https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/tailbone-pain-coccydynia/, page last reviewed 20 November 2025, retrieved 2026-11-09.
- NHS, "Back pain", https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/back-pain/, page last reviewed 05 March 2026, retrieved 2026-11-09.
- Cleveland Clinic, "Tailbone Pain (Coccydynia)", https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/10436-coccydynia-tailbone-pain, medically reviewed, last updated 08/14/2023, retrieved 2026-11-09.
- MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine), "Tailbone trauma", https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000008.htm, retrieved 2026-11-09.
- MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine), "Tailbone trauma - aftercare", https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000573.htm, retrieved 2026-11-09.
- Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), "Tailbone Pain: Why You Might Have It and How to Treat It", https://www.hss.edu/health-library/move-better/tailbone-pain, published 4/16/2024, retrieved 2026-11-09.
- UMass Memorial Health, "Understanding Coccydynia", https://www.ummhealth.org/health-library/understanding-coccydynia, retrieved 2026-11-09.
- Lirette LS and colleagues, "Coccydynia: an overview of the anatomy, etiology, and treatment of coccyx pain", Ochsner Journal, 2014, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24688338/, retrieved 2026-11-09.
- Howard PD and colleagues, "A comparison of conservative interventions and their effectiveness for coccydynia: a systematic review", Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy, 2013, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24421634/, retrieved 2026-11-09.
- Staartjes VE and colleagues, "Contemporary Management of Coccydynia", Neurospine, 2026, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42097750/, retrieved 2026-11-09.
- Iron Butt Association, "IBA 25 Long-Distance Riding Tips", https://ironbutt.org/25tips.html, retrieved 2026-11-09.
- Hexrider, "Hexcushion" product page, https://hexrider.com/products/hexcushion, retrieved 2026-11-09.