Mommyof2+1

The reason I am posting this is because Erin is a HUGE W sitter. and I never knew that it was bad until I took Hunter to therapy and his therapist saw her sitting that way. this was 2 years ago and I still constantly battle with getting her to sit other ways so I thought I would post this article for others in case they want to watch for this

What's wrong with W-sitting?
By Jean McNamara, PT
ADVANCE for Physical Therapists, 1995

The W-positions is one of many sitting positions that most children move into and out of while playing, but it’s a four-letter word to some parents. Why is it presumed to be ok for some children and forbidden for others?

When playing in these other sitting postures, children develop the trunk control and rotation necessary for midline crossing (reaching across the body) and separation of the two sides of the body. These skills are needed for a child to develop refined motor skills and hand dominance.

W-sitting is not recommended for anyone. Many typically developing children do move through this position during play, but all parents should be aware that the excessive use of this position during the growing years can lead to future orthopedic problems.

Why do children W-sit? Every child needs to play and children who are challenged motorically like to play as much as anybody. They don’t want to worry about keeping their balance when they’re concentrating on a toy. Children who are frequent W-sitters often rely on this position for added trunk and hip stability to allow easier toy manipulation and play.

When in the W-position, a child is planted in place or "fixed" through the trunk. This allows for play with toys in front, but does not permit trunk rotation and lateral weight shifts (twisting and turning to reach toys on either side). Trunk rotation and weight shifts over one side allow a child to maintain balance while running outside or playing on the playground and are necessary for crossing the midline while writing and doing table top activities.

It’s easy to see why this position appeals to so many children, but continued reliance on W-sitting can prevent a child from developing more mature movement patterns necessary for higher-level skills.

Who should not w-sit? For many children, W-sitting should always be discouraged. This position is contraindicated (and could be detrimental) for a child if one of the following exists:

There are orthopedic concerns. W-sitting can predispose a child to hip dislocation, so if there is a history of hip dysplasia, or a concern has been raised in the past, this position should be avoided.
If there is muscle tightness, W-sitting will aggravate it. This position places the hamstrings, hip adductors, internal rotators and heel cords in an extremely shortened range. If a child is prone to tightness or contractures, encourage anther pattern of sitting.
There are neurologic concerns/developmental delays. If a child has increased muscle tone (hypertonia, spasticity), W-sitting will feed into the abnormal patterns of movement trying to be avoided (by direction of the child’s therapist). Using other sitting postures will aid in the development of more desirable movement patterns.

W-sitting can also discourage a child from developing a hand preference. Because no trunk rotation can take place when W-sitting, a child is less inclined to reach across the body and instead picks up objects on the right with the right hand, and those placed to the left with the left hand.

Try sitting in various positions. Notice how you got there, got out, and what it took to balance. Many of the movement components you are trying to encourage in a child are used when getting in and out of sitting. Transfers in and out of the Q-position, however, are accomplished through straight-plane (directly forward and backward) movement only. No trunk rotation, weight shifting, or righting reactions are necessary to assume or maintain W-sitting.

How to prevent W-sitting. The most effective (and easiest) way to prevent a problem with W-sitting is to prevent it from becoming a habit it the first place. Anticipate and catch it before the child even learns to W-sit. Children should be placed and taught to assume alternative sitting positions. If a child discovers W-sitting anyway, help him to move to another sitting position, or say, "Fix your legs." It’s very important to be as consistent as possible.

When playing with a child on the floor, hold his knees and feet together when kneeling or creeping on hands and knees. It will be impossible to get into a W-position from there. The child will either sit to one side, or sit back on his feet; he can then be helped to sit over to one side from there (try to encourage sitting over both the right and left sides). These patterns demand a certain amount of trunk rotation and lateral weight shift and should fit with a child’s therapy goals.

If a child is unable to sit alone in any position other than a W, talk with a therapist about supportive seating or alternative positions such as prone and sidelying. Tailor sitting against the couch may be one alternative; a small table and chair is another.

The therapist(s) working with the child will have many other ideas. Caregivers should ask if W-sitting in now, or may in the future, be a problem.

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Mommyof2+1

http://www.doctorndtv.com/FAQ/detailfaq.asp?id=7233

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Mommyof2+1

Let me also add that I don't believe that every child that w sits has physical problems, I don't believe that erin does but it can cause problems from sitting that way

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meanmeanteacher

that is one of J's big problems.. he will only sit W-- of course he does have trunk control problems, and is unstable...

what is funny--- I still sit like that I drive people crazy, at 30, I sit like that-- it is easier for me.. so obviously someone needs to be trained not to do it

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pvtrosalia

I have never in my life heard that way of sitting referred to as W sitting. That is interesting though... the only time I sit like that is to stretch my thighs!!!

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My4Kids

ok what is W sitting???

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*Tara*

I was wondering the same thing. I've never heard of it.

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Tara & Carly

keagsmommy

The only way I can explain is sit on your legs like with your feet under your bottom, then push your feet to either side practically where they are touchin the side of your thighs make sense ?!?!

I will google a pic

Keag used to do it. I knew it was bad in some cases & after reading mroe about it I had to nip it in the butt he no longer sits like that now

ETA: Here is a better description . . .

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*Tara*

Oh, ok. I get it. Thanks!!!

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Tara & Carly

keagsmommy

No prob

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*Jeana*

leona sits this way all the time , my mother in law and her brother and sister did as well as children.. they are perfectly fine..

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myrmom

Ewan sits like that all the time...he seems to have no issues.

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*AmandaAnn*

I have always sat like that. Never noticed Haley do it tho. She always seems to keep her feet under her butt. Heehee

Amie

My own kids don't sit like that on a regular basis. I don't think Nathaniel ever sits like that, and Caleb has a few times. But I have a little boy in my preschool class that sits that way all the time. I'm constantly telling him to put his feet in front of him. I printed out that article and gave it to his parents at parent/teacher conferences hoping they would discourage it at home too. I have noticed it getting a little better when he's sitting on the rug for circle time or story, but he sits like that when he's playing a lot too.

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Poetmom

I STILL sit that way most of the time.......it's the most comfortable position for me if I'm on the floor. LOL

My4Kids

ohhhh duh! LOL
I think my kids do that. no probs so far

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pricanstina84

thanks for the picture, i needed a visual! kameron doesn't sit like that so i guess i'm good :-)

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Christina

Mom to
Kameron
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Married to
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CO MOD OF DUE IN 2009

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PaMOOla

I think the issue is more so for kids that only sit like that and do not have the strenght or muscle tone to sit in other positions. Occasionally sitting in the W is probably ok, but if your child can only sit like this then it might be something to look into.

My nephew had low muscle tone and this was something his PT pointed out to my SIL.

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Joshua Ashley Samantha

I'm Steph

I still sit like that as well. I did have hip issues as a child and wore hip braces and even now my pelvis is crooked. The doctor's attribute it to childbirth on top of the problems I had as a child. You wouldn't know it to look at me and I walk normal and everything, it only becomes an issue when my hips hurt when I sleep. That has only happened once and after about 2 months of adjustments, I felt much better.

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If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, keep moving.

Emilys Mommy

I am going to say rarely. she is more of a cross-legged sitter.

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lil_jodi

My 63 year old mom sits like that! LOL!

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Mommyof2+1

LOL yeah they say that if your child sits other ways as well and alternates the way they sit then that is okay, My SIL did it all the time and has major problems with her knees now. the documentation kinda goes both ways , we just remind Erin to sit another way when we notice it, I figure I would rather try and get her to sit a different way then to risk the possibility of it affecting her later in life.

Here is a picture of her, you can really tell with her why they call it W sitting, she is on the more severe side of it, the closer the legs are in the milder it is and even sitting on your legs is a mild form of it.

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meanmeanteacher

J is a lot more like Erin, he spreads his legs wide, not just next to his thighs.. I think there is where more of a problem is indicated too

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CourtneyB

Brianna likes to sit that way and with her PT we are working on keeping her from doing it too often. She has poor muscle tone in her trunk and sitting like that 'enables' her to maintain the poor tone instead of strengthening it like sitting other ways would do.

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