What does W-Sitting look like?

When a child is in a W-Sitting position, they are sitting on their bottom with both knees bent and their legs  turned out away from their body. If you were to look at the  child from above their head, his or her legs will be in the  shape of the letter “W”. Their knees may be touching together or spread apart.

Why do kids W-Sit?

For many children, this is a preferred or comfortable position and they sit this  way without even thinking about it. In this position, a  child’s base of support is wider their center of gravity is lower, allowing for increased stability through the hips and  trunk. Kids who sit this way are often doing to so make up for weakness  in their  trunk because it’s a convenient position for play because kids do not have to work on keeping their balance while also concentrating on toys.

 

Why is W-Sitting a problem?

Many health professionals believe this position may lead to gross motor delays and can create weakness in the back, hips and legs which may lead to “pigeon toed” walking. This posture fixes the upper torso in place, only allowing your child to play with toys that are in front of them. He or she is unable to rotate around and cross one arm over the body at the midline to grab an object or something behind them. You will also notice that your child usually reaches for the object with whatever hand is closest instead of the dominant hand. All of these actions interfere with the development of bilateral integration and normal hand dominance. Your child’s sense of balance can be slowed if these skills are not allowed to develop properly.

 

What  can  you do to help?

Encourage other ways to sit on  the floor: side sitting, long sitting, pretzel sitting or sitting  on a low bench or stool. These positions better allow your child to use both hands at the same time on both sides of the body. In addition, these sitting positions help them to shift their weight from side to side more easily, and they  encourage your child to use their back and abdominal muscles to maintain the upright sitting position. It is important that you consistently make this correction when you see your child sitting in this way, as it can impact their growth and development in a significant way.