My kid plays football. Real football, tackle football. One practice he came home crying about his tailbone hurting bad. Like, couldn’t sit right for days. Freaked me out. Coach mentioned something about a back plate, but I had no clue what that even was. Felt like maybe I messed up buying his gear.
So I Started Digging
Googled “football tailbone protection.” Found out this plastic piece called a back plate exists. Slides right under the pants, hooks onto the pants belt near the spine. Supposedly keeps the tailbone safe and stops the spine protector plate thing (I think it’s called the kidney pad?) from jamming upwards when they fall hard. Made sense – my kid kept complaining the back of his pads felt like they were digging in.
Went down a rabbit hole. Read forum posts by other parents. Watched some bad phone videos showing guys taking hard falls. Saw how without the back plate, that pad can shift or dig into the lower back and tailbone area. Ouch.
Time to Test it Myself
Hit the sporting goods store. The sales guy pointed me to a few options:
- Basic Plastic Plate: Cheap, felt flimsy.
- Mid-range with Padding: Thicker plastic, soft foam padding glued on one side.
- “High-Performance” One: Curved fancy shape, denser foam, cost way more.
Bought the mid-range padded one. Figured it was a good starting point.
Got home. First thing: Put it on myself over a t-shirt to feel it. Strapped it under an old pair of athletic pants.
- It felt weird at first. Like having a plastic board taped to your back.
- Laid on the floor on my back. Definitely felt that plate keeping my lower back off the ground. Much firmer support.
- Bent forward, felt the lower back plate edge. Okay, I saw how moving around it might feel strange.
Kid’s First Reaction (Not Good)
Made my son try his pants on with it. Strapped the plate onto the belt loops.
- “It feels heavy!” he whined.
- “It’s pokey!” (Probably the strap clips at first).
- “It feels weird when I bend!”
Yeah. Not surprised. Told him it was like a seatbelt – annoying until you need it.
Making it Work (Fiddling Time)
Helped him adjust it:
- Loosened the shoulder pads just a bit so the kidney pad sat a little lower naturally.
- Positioned the back plate lower than I first thought, making sure the bottom edge was covering his tailbone properly.
- Really tightened the belt straps attaching it to his pants. We don’t want it shifting.
- Took the soft padded side facing IN towards his back. Seems obvious, but you never know.
Had him run around the yard, fall backwards onto the grass a few times. Key thing we noticed: That kidney pad stayed put. Didn’t ride up into his lower back like before when he landed on his butt.
First Game with the New Setup
Butterflies in my stomach, honestly. Kept watching him like a hawk.
Second quarter, he got tackled hard. Went down straight onto his backside. Saw that hit from the stands, winced big time.
He popped right back up! Kept playing. Post-game, no complaints about his tailbone! None! That’s the moment I knew.
Since then? He doesn’t even notice it anymore. It’s just part of the gear. But I notice the difference. No more limping off the field after a hard fall.
Bottom Line – Why I Think You Need One
- It’s Cheap Protection: Seriously, compared to other gear, it costs peanuts.
- It Prevents Pain: Tailbone injuries SUCK. They linger. Getting bruised down there every practice isn’t normal.
- It Makes the Rest Work: Without it, part of your spine protection gear (that kidney pad) can actually cause problems.
- Peace of Mind: Seeing him take hits on his backside without crying? Worth every penny.
Seriously, just get one. Don’t wait for your kid to get hurt first like I did. It’s a small plastic piece that makes a huge difference for safety. This ain’t optional gear. It’s necessary padding.
