My way back from "Sitting Hell"
Thomas, Germany - thomasdieter89@proton.me
Posted 2025-12-07
It started completely unspectacularly, but with brutal consequences. In February 2023, I slipped on an icy loading dock while unloading crates of drinks. I landed with full force on my backside. "Just a bruise," I thought, gritted my teeth, and carried on. A fatal mistake.
In the weeks that followed, my office job (I am an IT Project Manager and sit for a good 8 to 10 hours a day) turned into an absolute torture chamber. What began as a dull ache in my coccyx soon started to radiate. After about 20 minutes on my actually high-quality office chair, my sit bones started burning like fire. It felt like I was sitting on two sharp stones.
The odyssey was classic: Local orthopedists diagnosed a bruise, prescribed Ibuprofen, and advised "patience." But after six months with no improvement, my nerves were shot. I couldn't lead meetings while sitting anymore, and driving was pure hell. In my desperation, I researched specialists nationwide and came across Prof. Dr. med. habil. Achim Benditz at the Fichtelgebirge Clinic (see Doctors and specialists in Germany).
The appointment with him was a turning point. Prof. Benditz, who has likely seen hundreds of such cases, finally took me seriously. He explained to me very precisely the connection between the chronic irritation of the coccyx and the incorrect weight loading that was by now also irritating my sit bones (ischialgia). Although he advised against surgery for the time being, he made it clear that consistent pressure relief was the key to healing – otherwise, the inflammation would never subside.
With this diagnosis in hand, I looked for the best solution for everyday life. A simple ring cushion ("donut") from a medical supply store had previously only cut off the circulation in my thighs. In a forum, I then stumbled upon the orthopedic seat cushion by Healthfix. I was extremely skeptical – I already had three other cushions lying in my closet that were useless. But the reviews highlighted that this cushion was designed specifically for the combination of coccyx and sit bone problems.
I ordered it. When it arrived, I immediately noticed the difference: the memory foam was firmer and held its shape better than the cheap products. The "Aha moment" came the first time I sat down. Thanks to the U-shaped cutout at the back, my painful tailbone literally "floated" in the air, exactly as Prof. Benditz had required. At the same time – and this was almost more important to me – the material distributed the weight so well that the point pressure was taken off my inflamed sit bones.
It wasn't an overnight miracle cure, but it was a gamechanger. After three days of use, I was able to work for 2 hours at a stretch without breaking into a sweat from the pain. After two weeks, I dared to drive longer distances again – with the Healthfix on the driver's seat. Today, a good year after the accident, the tailbone is still sensitive if I have to sit on a hard wooden bench, but my everyday life is normal again. I am grateful to Prof. Benditz for the honest assessment and to Healthfix for the tool that made this assessment actionable in daily life.
To anyone suffering from this nasty combination of coccyx pain and pressure-sensitive sit bones, I can only advise: Find a real specialist and try the Healthfix. It saved my job and my mobility.
See also Coccyx cushions and supports
