Coccyx facts for kids
| Bone: Coccyx | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Coccyx - posterior view | ||
| Latin | os coccygis | |
| Gray's | subject #24 106 | |
| MeSH | Coccyx | |
The coccyx, often called the tailbone, is the very last part of your backbone. It's found in humans, apes, and some other animals like horses.
Many books say the tailbone is usually one fused bone in adults. But it can actually be made of up to five separate small bones. Most often, it has two or three parts.
What Does the Tailbone Do?
In humans and other primates without tails, the coccyx is a small leftover from a tail. Even though it's a remnant, it's still useful! It helps to attach many important muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
It also helps you sit comfortably. Think of it as one leg of a "tripod" that supports your body when you sit. When you lean forward, other bones in your pelvis take most of your weight. But if you lean back, more weight shifts onto your tailbone.
Tailbone Injuries
Sometimes, the coccyx can get hurt. This can lead to a painful condition called coccydynia. It means your tailbone area is sore.
You can also break or fracture your tailbone. This happens when one or more of the small bones, or the connections between them, get damaged.
Images for kids
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A coccyx with four vertebrae below the sacrum
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The coccyx sits below the sacrum and behind the pelvic cavity.
See also
In Spanish: Coxis para niños
