What is “W” sitting?
“W” sitting describes the position of a child when sitting on the floor knees together and feet pointing outwards.
Dr. Brian Loh explains, in this position the hip is in full internal rotation and in children whose joints are still loose, it is an easy position to fall into. W sitting also gives the child a wide base of support which makes balancing easier and it is often children with lower tone muscle who prefer this position as they don’t have to work so hard to balance with this wide base of support.
Why do children “W” sit?
There are various reasons why children may sit in a w position.
Cathy Molloy describes that when a child W sits, they create a large base of support and a lower centre of gravity. For other children tight hip muscles may be a cause and sometimes, it’s just habit. It’s ok when…your child moves briefly in and out of W sitting when playing or transitioning from one position to another.
It’s not ok when…this is the only position your child will adopt for floor play and spends prolonged periods in this position.
Should I be concerned if my child is “W” sitting?
W sitting is not generally considered a normal pattern of sitting by experts. Dr. Brian Loh explains that it is a problem when a child exclusively sits on the floor this way as they are not engaging their core and building strength here.
Early intervention such as Occupational Therapy and home activities may support children who are regularly choosing to sit in a W position.
How can you support your child?
If you believe your child changes between regular sitting to the W position and want to support them, you can start by encouraging them to sit in other positions while introducing variability in your child’s sitting repertoire and working on their trunk stability.
Sitting cross legged, long sitting, side sitting or providing a small step to sit on are good alternatives.
If you can’t break the W sitting habit, then don’t let it be a source of angst for you or your child. Do your best to create an environment for play that supports other ways of sitting.
Games that can help
Side sitting transfers:
Start with side sitting on one side, move from this position onto your knees then into side sitting on the other side without putting your hands to the floor. Mum and dads have a go – it’s not easy!
Bottom walking races:
Sitting on the floor with legs straight out in front, bottom shuffle by lifting one side of bottom off the floor and moving forward, alternating side to side. Race your child across the room.
Seated marches on a Fitball:
Sitting on large ball, alternating leg lifts off floor as if you are marching.
Reaching games:
Encourage your child to reach out for heavy and light objects at different distances, across the midline and different heights to help strengthen their trunk muscles.
Hamstring stretches:
These are important as children who W sit can sometimes have tight hamstrings. Try reading with your child while they sit with their bottom and back against the wall, legs straight out in front.
Additional resources to help your child transition from ‘W’ sitting can be found in the links below:
http://PSFO – Tip Sheet – W Sitting.pdf (wyndham.vic.gov.au)
References:
W Sitting – Occupational Therapy Helping Children
Interested in similar content? Check out our related articles:
What is sensory processing? – The Y Whittlesea Children’s Programs (ymca.org.au)