英文外刊阅读：Ask a doc: ‘How can I improve my posture?’

Ask a doc: ‘How can I improve my posture?’

By Melissa Rudy Fox News

Published April 15, 2024 2:41pm EDT

More than 31 million Americans experience poor posture at some point, according to the American Chiropractic Association.

Bad posture can lead to a range of health problems, including back and neck pain, breathing difficulties, headaches, heartburn and digestive issues.

Fox News Digital spoke with Dr. Arthur L. Jenkins, III, M.D., board-certified neurosurgeon and founder of Jenkins NeuroSpine in New York City, about the importance of good posture.

"Maintaining good posture is very important for maintaining balance, maintaining good physical fitness, and avoiding back and neck pain, but it’s also a bellwether of normal neurological function," he said.

Here's more on the health and wellness topic.

More than 31 million Americans experience poor posture at some point, according to the ACA.

What is good posture?

To achieve proper posture, experts recommend standing tall with your head straight, shoulders back, core tucked in and ears over the middle of the shoulders.

When sitting, it’s best to sit all the way back in the chair with the feet flat on the floor, according to WebMD. Positioning a lumbar pillow behind the back can help provide support and protect the spine.

It is important to be able to recognize whether you're able to maintain a normal posture, Jenkins said.

"Some people have bad posture because that is their body’s least painful position due to an underlying spinal or neurologic problem," he noted.

People with an otherwise normal spine may slouch or walk around with their heads down, looking at a phone or computer screen while they're walking or working, Jenkins said.

Bad posture can lead to a range of health problems, including back and neck pain, breathing difficulties, headaches

"The more slouched forward you are, the more energy you're expanding throughout the day just to hold your head up," he said.

With good posture, the body’s center of gravity is positioned over the feet and with the least disruption of the spine, according to Jenkins.

"In this position, the body uses as little energy as possible to maintain normal posture," he told Fox News Digital.

When to seek help

Maintaining proper posture isn’t easy or even possible for everyone.

"If you stand up straight, keep your head and neck in a long, tall position, and you find that in that position you develop pain or neurologic problems — for example, dizziness, weakness or numbness — this may be a sign that your body has an underlying neurologic problem that perhaps you were not aware of," said Jenkins.

Some examples of potential problems include Ankylosing spondylytis, congenital cervical stenosis and scoliosis.

Ankylosing spondylitis is an autoimmune condition in which the joints become fused over time, often in a "imperfect position," Jenkins said.

"Then you have to struggle harder to compensate for that curve — leading to more problems down the road."

People with an otherwise normal spine may slouch or walk around with their heads down

"In summary, you want to walk around and hold yourself up as tall as you can," Jenkins advised.

"This will likely result in having less neck and back pain, and will project a strong, vital and confident self-image."

Scoliosis, a curvature of the spine in one or more directions, can cause pain and eventually shorten the spine

If maintaining proper posture causes you to have pain or other neurologic problems — such as dizziness, lightheadedness, weakness, numbness or even bowel or bladder symptoms — it’s important to seek medical attention, the doctor advised.

"These types of problems usually can be rectified, and the earlier one gets help, the less it will take to get back into alignment," he said.

Simple interventions may include physical therapy, stretching or changes in your work environment or how you look at your phone.

"The worse things get, the more invasive treatments need to be," Jenkins said.

These may include injections or, in extreme cases, surgical interventions.

The doctor added, "So, keep your chin up — and if you struggle with that, get help early."

Ask a doc: ‘How can I improve my posture?’

我怎么才能改善我的姿势？

More than 31 million Americans experience poor posture at some point, according to the American Chiropractic Association.

美国脊椎按摩协会数据显示，超过3千1百万的美国人在有些时候会出现不良的姿势。

Bad posture can lead to a range of health problems, including back and neck pain, breathing difficulties, headaches, heartburn and digestive issues.

不良姿势会导致一系列健康问题，包括背部和颈部疼痛、呼吸困难、头痛、烧心和消化问题。

Fox News Digital spoke with Dr. Arthur L. Jenkins, III, M.D., board-certified neurosurgeon and founder of Jenkins NeuroSpine in New York City, about the importance of good posture.

Fox采访了医学博士，董事会认证神经外科医生，同时还是纽约Jenkins NeuroSpine的创始人Arthur L.Jenkins，关于良好姿势的重要性。

"Maintaining good posture is very important for maintaining balance, maintaining good physical fitness, and avoiding back and neck pain, but it’s also a bellwether of normal neurological function," he said.

“保持良好的姿势对于保持平衡、保持良好的身体素质和防止背部和颈部疼痛非常重要，同时这也是神经功能正常的风向标”。

Here's more on the health and wellness topic.

这里有更多关于身心健康的话题。

What is good posture?

什么是良好的姿势？

To achieve proper posture, experts recommend standing tall with your head straight, shoulders back, core tucked in and ears over the middle of the shoulders.

为达到正确的姿势，专家建议站直 的时候，头摆正，肩膀向后，腹部收起来，耳朵在肩部的中间上方。

When sitting, it’s best to sit all the way back in the chair with the feet flat on the floor, according to WebMD. Positioning a lumbar pillow behind the back can help provide support and protect the spine.

根据WebMD，坐着的时候，最好一直靠椅子上，双脚平放在地板上。在背后放一个腰枕有助于提供支撑保护脊椎。

It is important to be able to recognize whether you're able to maintain a normal posture, Jenkins said.

能够认识到自己是否能够保持标准的姿势，这一点很重要，Jenkins说道。

"Some people have bad posture because that is their body’s least painful position due to an underlying spinal or neurologic problem," he noted.

“有些人的姿势不好，是因为这是他们身体最不痛的姿势，这些疼痛可能是由于脊椎或神经系统问题导致的”，他说道。

People with an otherwise normal spine may slouch or walk around with their heads down, looking at a phone or computer screen while they're walking or working, Jenkins said.

即使是脊椎正常的人也可能会低头垂肩，或者在走路或工作时低头看手机或电脑屏幕，Jenkins说道。

"The more slouched forward you are, the more energy you're expanding throughout the day just to hold your head up," he said.

“你越是低着头，你在一天中仅仅为了抬头就会消耗更多的能量”，他说道。

With good posture, the body’s center of gravity is positioned over the feet and with the least disruption of the spine, according to Jenkins.

在良好的姿势下，身体的重心位于脚上方，对脊椎的影响最小，Jenkins说道。

"In this position, the body uses as little energy as possible to maintain normal posture," he told Fox News Digital.

“在这种姿势下，身体会尽可能的使用最少的能力来保持正常的姿态”，他告诉Fox。

When to seek help

什么时候需要寻求帮助

Maintaining proper posture isn’t easy or even possible for everyone.

保持良好的姿势对有些人来说不是那么简单，甚至不可能。

"If you stand up straight, keep your head and neck in a long, tall position, and you find that in that position you develop pain or neurologic problems — for example, dizziness, weakness or numbness — this may be a sign that your body has an underlying neurologic problem that perhaps you were not aware of," said Jenkins.

“站直，保持头部和颈部挺直的姿势，如果你发现在这个姿势下你会出现疼痛或神经系统问题，例如头晕、虚弱或麻木，这可能是你的身体有你没有意识到的神经系统问题”。

Some examples of potential problems include Ankylosing spondylytis, congenital cervical stenosis and scoliosis.

这些问题比如强直性脊柱炎、先天性颈椎狭窄和脊柱侧弯。

Ankylosing spondylitis is an autoimmune condition in which the joints become fused over time, often in a "imperfect position," Jenkins said.

强直性脊柱炎是一种自身免疫性疾病，长时间关节融合，通常处于“不完美的位置”，Jenkins说道。

"Then you have to struggle harder to compensate for that curve — leading to more problems down the road."

“然后你就会努力去弥补这一曲线，造成更多的问题”。

"In summary, you want to walk around and hold yourself up as tall as you can," Jenkins advised.

“总之，你得走动走动，尽可能地把自己挺直”，Jenkins建议到。

"This will likely result in having less neck and back pain, and will project a strong, vital and confident self-image."

“这可能可以减少颈部和背部疼痛，并展现出强大、重要和自信的自我形象”。

If maintaining proper posture causes you to have pain or other neurologic problems — such as dizziness, lightheadedness, weakness, numbness or even bowel or bladder symptoms — it’s important to seek medical attention, the doctor advised.

如果保持正确的姿势会导致疼痛或其他神经系统问题，如头晕、虚弱、麻木，甚至出现排便或膀胱症状，那么寻求医疗护理，这很重要的，这位医生建议到。

"These types of problems usually can be rectified, and the earlier one gets help, the less it will take to get back into alignment," he said.

“这类问题通常是可以纠正的，越早得到治疗，需要的调整就越少”，他说道。

Simple interventions may include physical therapy, stretching or changes in your work environment or how you look at your phone.

简单的干预措施包括物理治疗，拉伸，或者改变工作环境或看手机的姿势。

"The worse things get, the more invasive treatments need to be," Jenkins said.

“问题越严重，就越需要介入治疗”，Jenkins说道。

These may include injections or, in extreme cases, surgical interventions.

这些包括注射，或者在极端情况下，手术干预。

The doctor added, "So, keep your chin up — and if you struggle with that, get help early."

这位医生补充道：“所以，抬起你的下巴——如果你有困难，尽早寻求帮助”。