Does your kid sit cross-legged on the floor and play with their toys? We have all seen our kids sitting with their legs bent and spread out to each side, making a W sitting posture and watching TV or playing on the floor. But have you ever tried to forbid them to adopt this sitting habit? 

While this sitting posture is common among kids, we hear many mixed reviews about its potential effects on the body. In this post, we'll look closer at the W-sitting position and whether it could be doing more harm than good for your child's developing muscles and joints.

What Is the 'W' Position?

The "W" sitting position refers to how children sit on the floor where their knees are bent and spread out to each side, with their feet tucked behind them, forming a "W" shape. W sitting baby posture is very common, but it can have the following risks that you must take care of:

• W sitting for a longer time can cause stress on hips, knees and ankles, leading to internal rotation of knee joints. This rotation can induce muscle imbalances in the baby. 
• A w sitting baby can disrupt the proper posture, leading to slumping or an overly rounded spine. It will poorly affect the baby's development of core flexibility and strength. 
• W sitting baby does not require to engage core muscles for balance that's why baby may have to face balance issues. 

Remember that occasional W sitting is not a warning for the baby, but frequency and longer W sitting duration can harm the child. So, make sure to change the baby's sitting posture. Also, very young children should be doing w siting because it is particularly harmful for their developmental muscles. 

If you have a little one at home, ensure you know when do babies sit up so you can prepare them for sitting postures other than w sitting. 

Where Fears About 'W' Sitting Came From?

The first significant concerns about W-sitting came from paediatricians and physical therapists. They noticed that many children who habitually did W sitting had certain movement difficulties or postural imbalances. These professionals began to see a significant link between frequent W-sitting and musculoskeletal issues as children grew older.

Early childhood development experts have long emphasized the importance of varied movement and sitting positions for building strength, flexibility, and motor skills. W sitting for long periods does not encourage movement, which is critical during the early years of motor skill development. 

In fact, W-sitting can prevent children from learning to sit cross-legged, kneel, or engage in other developmental activities that promote joint mobility and coordination.

Over the past couple of decades, public awareness about the potential risks of W-sitting has increased, driven in part by advocacy from health professionals. Occupational therapists and pediatric physical therapists have been instrumental in spreading awareness about how W-sitting might affect a child's long-term posture and movement skills. 

Additionally, parenting websites, books, and blogs have taken up the cause, further popularizing the concern.