The Base of Your Spine
The two bones residing at the very base of the spine have two things in common – funny shapes and funny-sounding names!
The sacrum, a rather large, triangular-shaped bone at the base of the spine, is wedged between both of your hipbones. It connects the base of the lumbar (lower) region of the spine to the coccyx. The sacrum functions to stabilize the pelvic area. As with all vertebrae, many nerves exit from each side of the sacrum, including the sciatic nerve.
An interesting fact about the sacrum is that it is shaped differently in males than in females. The female sacrum is shorter and wider than the male sacrum and is positioned quite differently to increase the size of the pelvic cavity, presumably to ease childbirth. The male sacrum is more evenly curved and is bigger than the female sacrum.
The coccyx is also known as the tailbone. The last bone in the vertebral column, the coccyx is comprised of between three and five fused vertebrae that act as a shock absorber when you sit down. In animals, it is the part of the spine that supports a tail.
The coccyx is attached to the sacrum through a joint that allows some movement between the two bones. Nine muscles, including the gluteus maximus and the muscle that is necessary for defecation, are attached to the coccyx. The coccyx can be damaged by any type of forceful movement.
Although the coccyx may appear to be of little use, it seems to exert some influence over back pain and events involving the spine such as childbirth. Several muscles and ligaments attached to the coccyx, including pelvic floor muscles, allow for slight movements that can be beneficial in relieving some back pain.
Misalignments in either of these bones can cause significant pain. Although rarer than misalignments in other spinal vertebrae, they do occur. A thorough chiropractic examination and appropriate adjustments have been known to correct misalignments and relieve pain in this area of the spine.
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