Shock Wave Therapy Versus High-Intensity Laser Therapy for Coccydynia (Tailbone Pain)

Authors
Category Primary study
Registry of TrialsClinicalTrials.gov
Year 2026
This study compares shock wave therapy with high-intensity laser therapy for tailbone pain, also called coccydynia. It includes adults aged 18 to 65 years who have had tailbone pain for at least 3 months and continue to have symptoms despite previous standard treatments. The main question is whether the two treatments differ in how much they reduce tailbone pain while sitting. The main comparison will be between pain before treatment and pain 3 months after the final treatment session. The study will also examine earlier pain relief, daily activities, and sitting ability. Participants will be assigned by chance to one of two treatment groups. One group will receive 6 shock wave therapy sessions, with 2 sessions per week. The other group will receive 10 high-intensity laser therapy sessions, with 3 sessions per week. Both treatments will be applied to the tailbone area by an experienced physician. Participants will be assessed before the first treatment session and 1 and 3 months after the final treatment session. They will rate their overall tailbone pain and pain while sitting on scales from 0 to 10. They will also complete questionnaires about how pain affects daily activities. At follow-up visits, participants will report changes in their condition and satisfaction with treatment. The study will also record sitting duration, the ability to sit for 30 minutes, pain medicine use, the need for additional treatment, and any unwanted symptoms or medical problems.
Epistemonikos ID: a62cd97cb5ddea46fa798b8a69d74e1d25f65975
First added on: Oct 28, 2026