“W” is for “w sit”!
This is something OTs advocate and educate against! “W” sitting, as seen in this classic picture of Brittney Spears (LOL), is a big no no for developing children.
The w sit is a sign of poor postural control for children. An increase in the base of support by sitting in the w sit position helps to counterbalance poor postural control; however, sitting like so will prevent continued development of essential core muscles. Additionally, w sitting puts unnecessary stress on the joints and can lead to other problematic developmental areas.
Pediatric occupational therapists can strengthen core muscles in many ways through playful interventions with children that promote improved core, better sitting positions, and postural control.
Moral of the story: don’t let kids sit like Brittney Spears.
