W-sitting is a position where a child sits on the floor with their knees bent and legs splayed out to the sides, forming a “W” shape.
While this posture may seem harmless, prolonged or frequent W-sitting can lead to developmental and physical challenges over time.
Understanding the potential long-term issues and encouraging alternative sitting positions are key to promoting healthy growth and movement patterns in children.
“I had a patient recently ask me if it is okay for her thirteen-month-old daughter to be W-sitting during playtime. The short answer is: absolutely NOT!” –
Stephanie Galanis, Yummy Mummy Club
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Why Do Children W-Sit?
Children often adopt the W-sitting position because it provides a wide base of support, which feels stable and secure, especially for those with weaker core muscles or balance difficulties.
While it might make playtime easier in the short term, this position places undue stress on the hips, knees and ankles.
However, it’s important to note that a study by Children’s Hospital Los Angeles found that W-sitting does not increase the likelihood of hip dysplasia.
This sitting position is commonly seen around age 3 and typically diminishes for many children as they grow and develop.
Long-Term Issues Associated with W-Sitting
Hip and Joint Problems
W-sitting places excessive internal rotation on the hips, which can strain the hip joints and surrounding muscles.
Over time, this can lead to reduced hip mobility, alignment issues and even hip dislocation in severe cases.
Delayed Core and Postural Development
Because W-sitting offers stability, children often bypass the need to engage their core muscles.
This can result in delayed development of core strength, impacting overall posture, balance and coordination.
Impact on Gait and Alignment
Prolonged W-sitting can alter the alignment of the lower body, leading to inward-turning knees (knock knees) and pigeon-toed walking.
These issues can affect gait patterns and may require physical therapy to correct.
Muscle Tightness
The W-sitting position can cause tightness in the hip flexors, hamstrings and inner thigh muscles.
This muscle imbalance can restrict movement and increase the risk of injuries during physical activities.
Encouraging Healthier Sitting Positions Than W-Sitting
To prevent the potential long-term issues associated with W-sitting, encourage children to adopt alternative positions such as crisscross sitting, side sitting or sitting on a small stool.
Engaging in activities that strengthen core muscles, such as climbing, yoga or balance exercises, can also help improve posture and stability.
By promoting awareness of W-sitting and its potential risks, parents and caregivers can support healthy movement and development in children, setting the foundation for lifelong physical well-being.
For therapy ideas you can implement at home:
The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun, Revised Edition: Activities for Kids with Sensory Processing Disorder
The Out-of-Sync Child Grows Up: Coping with Sensory Processing Disorder in the Adolescent and Young Adult YearsThe Sensory Processing Diet: One Mom’s Path of Creating Brain, Body and Nutritional Health for Children with SPDSelf-Regulation and Mindfulness Activities for Sensory Processing Disorder: Creative Strategies to Help Children Focus and Remain Calm
W-sitting is part of many young children’s transitional movement phases. If children sit in a W for long periods of time over long periods of time, it can affect their lower extremity alignment. Sitting in a W may indicate postural tone issues and the child may need an evaluation for some underlying neuromotor issues. Children should be encouraged to change their sitting postures–long sitting, side sitting, cross leg sitting, etc when sitting on the floor.
Ms. Fontaine, are you a physician, a researcher that has done a long term study on this postion? I have seen comments exactly like yours before and until they do an actual long term study of children who sit in the “w” position, who are you or anyone else to tell parents “Do not let your child sit in the “w” position”. Just because you read an article by a physical therapist or heard it somewhere does not mean you should pass this information on to others. I and many others sat in this position when we were small children and have no ill effects of sitting this way. My son also sat this way as a small child and has had not ill effects from the “w” position. I have yet to find an actual medical study that show sitting in the “w” position causes harm. Every child is different and should be evaluated on an individual basis!!!!
I’m a physical therapist and I can tell you that I agree with this article as far as the alignment issues. This posture can cause your child to be knockneed as the develop which predisposes them for ACL injuries. You are stretch the ligaments on the inside portion of the knee and tightening the one on the outside. There is something called a Q angle which girls tend to have a bigger one then boys. The larger the q angle the more you’re predisposed to acl ruptures and arthritis at a younger age. Not to mention w sitting decreases core development which is what stabilizes are spine. Your core muscles (abs, paraspinals,etc) will weaken because instead of contracting them to stabilize themselves they just balance on their w which is a much wider base of support than the other sitting styles. There is tons of research to support all of this.
I agree RJ I am an adult and it helps with flexibility for my legs!
Totally agree. I had 8 kids, 2 of which were boys. I had ample opportunity to study the pro’s n cons of sitting positions and discouraged both the Y and the Q position. Instead they sat w legs outstretched in front, crossing their legs or sitting on their heels was avoided too. My kids always sat with feet parallel, avoiding the very things my own mother warned me about. I had untreated rickets as a 4 yr old, so I took care to ensure my kids had straight legs. And they do, although one has an extra floating small bone in her foot, a congenital issue that although fairly common is usually not a problem to most. Interesting though. Thanks for sharing. 🙂