How to stop your child from W sitting
What is W sitting?
W sitting is when a child sits on their bum with their knees bent and feet out to the side, the angles that their legs make form the letter W.
Why is my child doing it?
There are a few different reasons why your child might be W sitting. If you are concerned about your child’s W sitting, a qualified paediatric physiotherapist will be able to assess your child and figure out the cause as well as develop a plan to prevent it from happening.
Weak core (tummy) muscles
If your child has lower muscle tone or strength, they may have trouble using their core muscles to support them. The W sitting position gives them a wider base of support, so they don’t have to work as hard to keep themselves upright
Structural position of the legs and hips
Everyone is born a little bit differently in how our bones align and for some babies that might mean that their thigh bone turns in more than other kids. This position would make it easier for a child to W sit
Habit
W sitting might just be a habit that they have started. Once it becomes a familiar position for them, it is easier to continue to sit this way.
Why is it bad for my child?
W sitting can lead to many different problems. This position can put a lot of stress on the joints in the legs, especially the hip and knee joints. This prolonged stress may even lead to pain as the child gets older. If you are someone who has hip and knee problems as an adult, you may have been a W sitter as a child. The W sitting position also reduces the use of the tummy muscles for sitting and can lead to poor posture. As you can see, W sitting itself isn’t inherently bad but sitting in this position for prolonged periods of time can lead to secondary complications in the long run and hinder your child’s development.
How do I correct it?
Ask them!
W sitting might be your child’s preferential sitting position, but that doesn’t mean that it is the ONLY way that they will sit. They may just need a simple reminder to sit in a different position. Repetition is key here. You may need to tell them multiple times, but eventually they will remember on their own.
Give them alternatives
There are so many other ways for kids to sit, and some kids will find positions more comfortable than others. For example, some kids may find it uncomfortable to sit with their legs crossed so an alternative might be to ask them to sit with their legs straight out in front of them, or in side sitting with both legs bent and to one side
Get them off the ground
If your child is able to, take play time off the floor and have them sit in a chair at a play table
Address the cause
As I mentioned earlier, there might be a specific reason why your child is W sitting such as poor core strength or structural alignment. Knowing the cause means that we are able to treat the problem. We can give your child core strengthening exercises or correct the positioning of their legs in order to improve their sitting posture and prevent W sitting.
Get a professional opinion
If you are struggling to get your child to stop W sitting, or you think there might be an underlying cause and not just a habitual trait then you can contact one of our qualified paediatric physiotherapists and have an assessment done. We can answer all your questions and give you a treatment plan to implement. Written by: Nicole Blain - Physiotherapist