I recently read a discussion board string talking about tailbone injuries with new Roller Derby girls. One response, from Nicole (a.k.a. “Fresh Meat”) was full of specific suggestions for new skaters. Here’s Nicole’s post, with her permission to share it with you:
“I had a tailbone injury in my first few weeks of derby. A few things I can suggest:
1. Make yourself a tailbone cushion for your chair at work, your chair
at home, and your car. I find my tailbone gets sore especially after
driving. Go to a foam/sponge store (my city has 2 stores devoted only
to foam!) and get a piece that is ‘firm’ foam, that is about 3″-6″
thick whatever you are comfortable with and about 20″-40″ wide and
about 20″-40″ deep depending on how big your butt is. (ha!ha!ha!) and
then cut out a v-shaped notch about 4″ wide and 4″ deep where your
tailbone is. This way every time you sit down you are supported on
your cheeks and your tailbone will never touch the seat. This simple
remedy will speed the healing of your tailbone a LOT. I find that
when i *don’t* use my cushions my tailbone becomes irritated and sore
again. If you are rich you can buy special tailbone pads for like $200
but a lot of the time they are “donut shaped” which, in my opinion,
does not work because you’re not supporting your tailbone, you’re
supporting your vag/asshole with this contraption, like when you sit
on a toilet! i don’t understand it. it is much better to just make
your own. and a piece of foam this dimension is oh… FIVE BUCKS!! get
them to cut it for you or if you need to modify use an exacto knife or
sewing scissors. I have ‘tapered’ one of my pillows for my car so my
legs are not propped up so high, but my butt is. and if you’re crafty
go to a fabric store and cover your foam with fabric. I suggest some
sort of stretchy-bathingsuit material because everything else gets
staticky and this material allows you to ’slide” off your pillow with
ease.
2. DO NOT DO ANYTHING THAT IRRITATES YOUR TAILBONE. I am fresh meat so
i would pop 800 mg of ibuprofen to try to ‘keep up’ and not act
‘disabled’. My coach found out about this and was quite angry. He
yelled at me and said “it will never heal if you don’t give it time to
recover. you will only make it worse”. One thing that REALLY hurt was
knee-downs or whatever you call them (where you skate, go down on one
knee, get back up before 3 secs and keep skating) but only on my right
side down. Also jumping hurt. I then flat out refused to do these,
but after a few weeks (4 weeks) i was feeling a little better, and i
tried a knee-down and boom, i was back to the start again, my tailbone
was as sore as ever for the next few days. Whatever it is that makes
pain, don’t do it. It’s been about 10 weeks now and I can jump just
fine but knee-downs are still sore. But with time…. I will be ok. I
would say i’m about 85% recovered. It does take time.
3. Heating Pads. Whenever you get a chance put heat on it. Try not to
sit ON a heating pad, because it will cause it to hurt again. I have
a very excellent heat pad recipe. If you can sew, make a sack out of
polar fleece and halfway fill it with white rice (not minute rice!).
If you are not crafty like that, use a sock pref. a fuzzy sports sock
(the thicker the better cuz this sucker gets hot!). Use white rice,
not basmati, not brown rice either. White parboiled or ’smooth’ kind.
if you are super awesome you can go buy some lavender flowers at a
health food store bulk bin for a nice aromatherapy scent, or smash up
some cinnamon bark if you prefer that smell but don’t use too much, or
it can be overwhelming. Don’t use any scented oils it could cause it
to go on fire, or just nothing if you like the smell of an earthy
kinda woodsy smell or are just too lazy to go get those things. Put
this contraption in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes. BE CAREFUL! you
CAN burn yourself with this. it gets VERY HOT!!!! but it’s a really
nice ‘damp hot’.
Heat causes blood vessels to expand and increases blood flow into the
muscles around your tailbone, speeding healing and ‘refreshing’ the
muscle. but be warned, do not sit ON this bag because it will
definetely hurt your tailbone to compress it in this way. it is best
to lay on your stomach and put the bag on your back.
4. Take Precautions for the future. Buy a tailbone protective device.
I have an “azzpad” it ain’t pretty but it ain’t painful either.
Unless you’re totally vain, it’s better to be safe than… “sore”. I
also use another smaller device that is shaped somewhat like a big
huge maxi-pad that clips onto your belt.
5. When you’re better, get someone to teach you or practice falling.
For some reason since i’ve fallen my body AUTOMATICALLY turns over as
i fall or my leg shoots out behind me so i fall onto my leg. Find
someone who had good ‘fall’ technique and get them to mentor you.
6. Skate always with your tailbone in mind. Focus and concentrate
always on ‘crouching’ while skating. Stay low as much as possible even
though it hurts. you are more likely to fall into your ass when your
legs are straight and your centre of balance is ‘back’ on your heels
rather than ‘forward’ on your feet. always be conscious of your centre
of gravity and ‘lean’ into your momentum rather than coasting behind
your momentum.
If you search the database i had these same questions and got some
amazing answers and uplifting advice about ’safety before beauty’
because i was concerned about being the ‘only one’ who wore padding on
my ass.
Good luck, i feel your pain,
Nicole
Fresh Meat
Hammer City Rollergirls”
Thank-you, Nicole.
JimB
