Children Sitting Like This Need to Stop And Here’s Why

As a mom of three kids, two of whom have had some developmental delays, I’m always very sensitive to trending topics on child development. Recently I saw some info floating around the interwebz on the dangers of “W sitting” (pictured below), and I vaguely recalled that it was bad, but I couldn’t remember why. So, I looked into it and found this great video by Movement Rx on YouTube. I’ll take you through some highlights and then post the video below.

Dr. Claudia Chaloner, DPT, takes you step-by-step through what W-sitting really is and why it’s bad. It may not seem like a big deal now, but it’s actually serious business! If your kiddo is W-sitting, here’s why you need to STOP him or her and teach them proper ways to sit immediately!

Why is W-sitting considered bad? Well, according to Dr. Chaloner, “Many healthcare professionals believe that this type of sitting can lead to orthopedic conditions, delay development of postural control and stability, create weakness in the back, hips, and abdominals, stress muscles and joint capsules of hips, and possibly delay gross motor skills, coordination, and balance. Other professionals believe that the reverse picture may be occurring. They believe children choose to sit in these positions due to underlying conditions such as femoral anteversion, low muscle tone, and muscle tightness.”

Basically, W-sitting is really bad for your core muscles. If your kiddos do it consistently, as they grow, things like catching a ball effectively won’t be easy at all, in fact, any sport that requires balancing skills will prove difficult. It can also cause shortening and tightening of the hip and leg muscles, leading to being “pigeon-toed” and back and pelvic pain as they grow.

It’s so simple to point your kiddos in the RIGHT direction as far as sitting goes! Check out Dr. Chaloner’s great video below, and teach your kiddos the right way to sit!