What’s the deal with W-sitting?

W-sitting is a common way that children (especially preschoolers) choose to sit on the floor, and is often a very normal and typical position for children to sit in and transition in and out of. Children naturally have more hip flexibility than adults, and some kids have a much easier time W-sitting than sitting “criss-cross applesauce” due to their hip alignment. However, W-sitting can be problematic if it is the only position they use to sit on the floor or more than 75% of the time. . 

Although occasional W-sitting is normal, I still encourage my little patients to find alternative ways of sitting. W-sitting is sometimes problematic because: 

• It provides a wider base of support when sitting on the floor, and may be a compensation pattern for weak core muscles. This position also makes trunk rotation and reach more difficult for children, thus resulting in decreased use of core muscles while sitting and decreased exploration during play.

• It may affect posture. Children who assume the W-sitting position often sit with a rounded back in a hunched posture. Slouched posture isn’t always a bad thing, but spending more time in upright postures can promote improved alignment and balanced strength development. 

• It increases stress on the developing hips, knees, and ankles. Children’s bones are still ossifying and are particularly vulnerable to forces that can alter their bony alignment. Children naturally walk with a slight in-toeing (pigeon-toed) pattern when first beginning to walk, and habitual W-sitting may potentially perpetuate the in-toeing walking pattern. W-sitting for extended periods of time can also result in tight hips, hamstrings, and calves.

Ways to promote other sitting patterns while also strengthening hips and core muscles: 

• Take toys off the floor and place on a raised surface such as a play table to encourage play while tall-kneeling.

• Sit on an exercise ball or a stack of pillows/couch cushions to promote an upright posture. 

• Side sitting(on both sides) to encourage symmetrical hip flexibility and strengthening 

• Stretch out the legs by ring sitting, long sitting, or playing in a low squat position

When a child habitually W-sits, it is important for pediatric physical therapists to not just repeatedly ask the child to “fix” their sitting, but to understand why a child is most comfortable in that position... Is it their skeletal alignment, a weak core, or another underlying condition?  Transitioning in and out of W-sitting can be very normal! If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s W-sitting, contact us! We would be happy to answer any questions you may have and help come up with creative alternatives and strategies to promote a variety of healthy sitting positions.