Why the “W-seat” can be bad for your child
Everyone knows the “W-seat” and children in particular use it often: the knees are in front, the feet towards the buttocks and the legs are placed next to the thighs. But even if it is comfortable for the child – paediatricians know three good reasons AGAINST the W seat.
When playing, children sometimes adopt very unusual sitting positions. One of them is the W seat: legs apart to the side, knees forward and feet behind. However, pediatricians explain on this page that this position is not necessarily advantageous for our child .
The three most important arguments AGAINST the W seat are as follows:
1. The W-seat reduces power build-up. Since children don’t use their abdominal or back muscles in this sitting position, they don’t build up muscle strength there either. Children who have a low muscle density should therefore not remain in this sitting position.
2. W-seat may cause hip deformity. If there is a concern that hip displacement is occurring – because of physician concerns or a family history of such deformities – there is also a high likelihood that children are promoting such displacement with the W sitting position.
3. Due to the W seat, there could be a development delay. Especially if the sitting position is maintained frequently and permanently, increased muscle tone can occur, which leads to tension. So if your child has ever had tension, this is a sign that the sitting position should be varied more often.
You should pay attention – but don’t panic
Like so many things in life, the most important thing about the W seat is how often and how long your child stays in it. If you notice that the W-sit has become your child’s favorite position, you should try to motivate them to sit differently or to stand up more often in between so that the problems mentioned above do not arise in the first place.
However, if your child only wants to sit in the W because everything else is “too strenuous”, you should consult a doctor.