This sit gives a lot of internal rotation of the femur, with the child's shins rotating outwards and the feet positioned in pronation (conversion). This position is often accompanied by a round back and a head tilted backwards. It is not an active sit down. The most common reason why children choose this type of sit is because the child's body is poorly stabilised. Often these are weak abdominal muscles and strong back muscles. If the child is constantly put down or planted on a soft surface, he or she cannot get the abdominal muscles properly toned. For the proper development of trunk stabilisation, the child needs a lot of time spent on a mat, on the floor. Only on a firm surface will he or she be able to build up the right muscle tone in the trunk, counteracting the force of gravity by pushing off the ground. If the child's trunk is not stable, he or she will look for a broad plane of support in order not to lose balance. One of the reasons for the W-sit is weak postural muscles in the child's trunk. Another case where children choose this type of sitting is joint hypermobility and globally reduced muscle tone. Children then present a preference for wide planes of support in different positions from the beginning of development. These children often tire quickly and the W-sit requires less activity from them than another type of sit.
Should we always correct the W sit?Â
Absolutely not. If your child presents a multivariant sit, i.e. sits in both a straight and a Turkish sit, sometimes sits in a hurdle sit and sometimes in a W sit, you should not worry. If, on the other hand, the child definitely chooses the W sit more often, he or she should be taught to sit with the legs forward.
What are the consequences of a W sit?
If a child sits in this way for the vast majority of the time it may be at risk:
- a limitation of the full ability to rotate the trunk which often results in problems crossing the midline of the body. This, in turn, can affect the smooth functioning of the eyeballs,
- lack of adequate muscle stabilisation in the spine, which can lead to scoliosis,
- impaired development of the masticatory and speech apparatus. The articulatory apparatus is significantly impaired in its development when the head, instead of being axially and actively aligned, is tilted passively backwards,
- knee and foot valgus. High internal rotation at the hip joints, feet in an inverted position and pelvis in a forward tilt are a recipe for misaligned knees and feet in the futureÂ
In conclusion, the W sit is not as terrible as it is painted 😉 The most important thing is that it is not a dominant sit. It is also important that the child sits in different ways depending on the situation, that he is stable in the sit and that he can change positions freely.
