I have a new client, who after the first session, said that rolling like a ball and seal left her with actual blisters on her tailbone. Since then, I have had her to just hold the position without rolling. I have heard that some people have an extra vertebrae in their sacrum that makes such positions uncomfortable. I do not know that this is the case, but I suspect it is possible, since she has not had any known injury to the area. Have any of you more experienced instructors run across this particular issue before, and if so, do you have any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

I have worked with a variety of tailbone issues and it sounds like in your case with a blister, there is probably a lot of friction against the skin rubbing at the tailbone area. Check in with your client to be sure they were actual blisters and not a sensitivity due to the pressure of the position.  Meanwhile, you can still get a massage of the spine by rolling back and forth from the supine position, avoiding the tailbone all together. That way you still get the benefit of the exercise and protect the tailbone. I am curious what happens during Short Box: Round, Tree and Stomach Massage Series - is the talbone still a problem? My clients with pressure sensitivity in that area find it helpful to use an extra pad AND to really wrap around the buttocks so the muscles act like a cushion. I hope this helps, keep us all posted on your progress!

Thank you for reminding me about the supine rocking. I cannot believe I forgot that. The blisters were really distracting me. This new client only comes to a group mat class at this point, so she has not experienced the Short Box Series. She is also mid-sixties and undergoing treatment for oral cancer. She's rather private regarding her treatment and I don't pry, but I am now wondering if the blistering could be related to her treatment, since the blisters are rather uncommon and just balancing on her tailbone does not seem to hurt. I will definitely have her do the rocking next class and I appreciate your help. Thanks again!