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‘W Sitting’ Can Be Incredibly Dangerous In Children And Should Be Avoided At All Costs
| By Jasper Gee
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Were you aware that sitting in one specific position can cause long-last damage? It’s called the “W Sitting” position and it’s not good for children, teens, or adults.
We know that sitting for 8 hours or more each day is not good for your health
W Sitting is so detrimental to our health that physical therapist Jean McNamara warns against the practice completely.
“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,” McNamara explains.
The team at LittleThings was so worried about “W Sitting” that they created illustrations to demonstrate what W Sitting is and to show the effects this type of posture can have on a child’s body which will follow them directly into adulthood.
What Is ‘W Sitting’?
The illustration at the beginning of the article shows exactly what W Sitting means. It might look like an innocent form of posture but in reality it can cause a lot of damage.
Little Things says children should sit in one of these positions:
There are 9 dangers associated with W Sitting and they carry with them some very serious side effects.
Back Problems
Maya Borenstein for LittleThings
Long-term orthopedic and back problems can occur because this type of sitting places a large amount of stress on the mid and upper back regions.
W sitting causes the body to collapse in on itself and that means children are not developing the muscles they need for the rest of their life.
Motor Skills Problems
Maya Borenstein for LittleThings
When sitting in this position many children will not form a hand preference.
When children don’t develop proper trunk movement it can cause a lack of strong traditional motor skills.
This position can restrict motion which in turn leads to motor skill issues.
Reaching Troubles
Maya Borenstein for LittleThings
Once again suppressing your range of motion while W sitting affects a child’s ability to reach.
When children are restricted from reaching across their body it can affect writing skills and table-top activities in the future.
Balance Issues
Maya Borenstein for LittleThings
As we previously noted, a child’s body is able to collapse in on itself in the W Sitting position that that can mean they don’t practice their body balance as they would if sitting with crossed legs or in another acceptable sitting position.
Trouble Develop Proper Posture And Core Muscles
Maya Borenstein for LittleThings
Weak core muscles can cost a ton of issues. For example, it can force people to hunch over which can cause massive back problems as they get older.
Abdominal muscles don’t develop properly in the W Sitting position.
Muscle Tightness Over Develops
Maya Borenstein for LittleThings
The W Sitting position can cause a huge amount of muscle tightness. When that tightness is placed on the hamstrings, internal rotators, heel cords, and other parts of the body it can cause an extremely shortened range.
“W sitting increases the risk of the child’s hip & leg muscles becoming short and tight – this can then negatively affect their coordination, balance, and the development of gross motor skills down the road,” The Child’s Play Therapy Center explains.”
Hip Displacement Is More Likely.
Maya Borenstein for LittleThings
Sitting in the W position can lead to a higher risk of dislocation in the hips, especially if the child or adult already suffers from hip dysplasia.
Pediatric Services backs up this claim, noting that W Sitting “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.”
Likely Joint Problems In The Future.
Maya Borenstein for LittleThings
Not engaging your core muscles can cause severe joint problems in the future. This is especially true in the knees which tend to undergo the most strain.
Pigeon Toes
Maya Borenstein for LittleThings
Finally, the W Sitting position can cause the muscle that twist the hip outwards to be weaker than normal. This can cause pigeon toe walking which can cause other pain issues in the future.
Remember, W Sitting is not a good option for children or adults. If you see your child sitting in this position help them move into another position to avoid a life of painful joint and general pain issues.
Keep in mind that children will often shift into a W Sitting position during play, while you don’t need to move them out of this position immediately, you should keep an eye on their sitting position and guide them into better options if the W Sitting position becomes a prolonged preference for your child.
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