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Main Causes of Coccydynia in Children and Adolescents: Impact of Sports on the Development of Pain Syndrome
- Authors: Trofimova S.I.1, Sapogovskiy A.V.1, Agranovich O.E.1, Petrova E.V.1
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Affiliations:
- H. Turner National Medical Research Center for Сhildren’s Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery
- Issue: Vol 13, No 3 (2025)
- Pages: 275-282
- Section: Clinical studies
- Submitted: 02.06.2025
- Accepted: 06.08.2025
- Published: 24.09.2025
- URL: https://journals.eco-vector.com/turner/article/view/681968
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.17816/PTORS681968
- EDN: https://elibrary.ru/BPKSNY
- ID: 681968
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Coccydynia is characterized by intense and persistent pain in the coccygeal region and often presents challenges in diagnosis and treatment owing to its low prevalence and diverse etiology among children and adolescents.
AIM: This study aimed to analyze the causes of coccydynia in children and adolescents participating and not participating in sports.
METHODS: The outpatient records of 906 patients presenting with coccygeal pain to a consultative and diagnostic department between January 2010 and March 2025 were reviewed. Medical history, physical examination findings, and imaging data were analyzed.
RESULTS: The study included patients aged 9–18 years. There were 5.5 times more girls than boys. Most of the patients did not participate in sports. Traumatic coccydynia was identified in 37% of patients. In most cases, the injury resulted from falls onto the buttocks, typically at school or outdoors. Among the patients with traumatic coccydynia, only 5.1% were participating in sports. The causes of nontraumatic coccydynia included coccygeal instability, coccygeal retroversion, coccygeal spicule, and weight loss. In 40.7% of cases, the cause was not identified. Among the patients participating in sports, 64% of the cases of coccygeal pain were associated with coccygeal instability, which presented under conditions of chronic static or repetitive coccyx overload during training.
CONCLUSION: The most common types of coccydynia in children and adolescents are traumatic and idiopathic. Coccygeal injuries during sports training occur twice as rarely as household injuries. In young athletes, repetitive excessive loads during equestrian sports, cycling, choreography, and ballet are associated with the development of coccygeal instability. The prevention of coccydynia among children participating in sports may involve proper exercise technique, gradual increase of load, and use of protective equipment.
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About the authors
Svetlana I. Trofimova
H. Turner National Medical Research Center for Сhildren’s Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery
Email: trofimova_sv2012@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-2690-7842
SPIN-code: 5833-6770
MD, Cand. Sci. (Medicine)
Russian Federation, Saint PetersburgAndrey V. Sapogovskiy
H. Turner National Medical Research Center for Сhildren’s Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery
Email: sapogovskiy@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-5762-4477
SPIN-code: 2068-2102
MD, Cand. Sci. (Medicine)
Russian Federation, Saint PetersburgOlga E. Agranovich
H. Turner National Medical Research Center for Сhildren’s Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery
Author for correspondence.
Email: olga_agranovich@yahoo.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-6655-4108
SPIN-code: 4393-3694
MD, Dr. Sci. (Medicine)
Russian Federation, Saint PetersburgEkaterina V. Petrova
H. Turner National Medical Research Center for Сhildren’s Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery
Email: pet_kitten@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-1596-3358
SPIN-code: 2492-1260
MD, Cand. Sci. (Medicine)
Russian Federation, Saint PetersburgReferences
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