For little ones, play time is often on the floor! It is common for young children to position themselves in various sitting positions when playing with toys. “W sitting” is a sitting position little ones can assume and it looks like this: sitting on bottom with their knees bent at their sides. If you look at a child from above in this position it may look like a “W”. If a child only does this momentarily or it does not become a pattern or habit of sitting then it isn’t normally an issue. If a child frequently sits in the W sitting position during play, it is important to take a further look as to why.
Sitting in this wider base of support allows them to slouch and limits the use of their core muscles. This position is often seen as a compensatory method of sitting to compensate for weak core muscle tone and limited core strength. In addition, this can lead to further muscle weakness in their core since this position inhibits a child from actively utilizing core muscles.
When W sitting, trunk mobility is also limited. This is because when they “W sit” they don’t have as much range to reach around and rotate. Tight muscles in the lower extremities as well as tightness in hips, knees, and ankles are among other potential concerns to keep an eye out for.
If you begin to notice that your child chooses a preference of sitting in this position it is helpful to model better sitting habits. This can be with criss crossed legs, legs straight out in front of them, and even just alternating the legs to one side which allows them to still sit on their bottom. With modeling better sitting habits you can also use verbal cues such as “cross your legs” and reminding them of better sitting habits when they are “W sitting”.
Overall it is important to monitor your child if they take preference to this sitting method in the event that they begin to display balance challenges, walking pattern changes, or discomfort. While intermittent sitting can be seen in children who are hard at play, consistent more frequent patterns of W sitting in children are important to keep an eye on in order to encourage sitting positions that encourage muscle development, rather than hinder muscle development.