4.3 The Stomach Channel System – Foot yangming(zu yang ming jing luo)
Location
6 cun distal to ➞ST-35(at the knee joint space) or 3 cun distal to
➞ST-36and 1 fingerbreadth lateral to the anterior crest of the tibia.
How to find
First, find ➞ST-35(‘lateral eye of the knee’, level with the knee
joint space). From ➞ST-35, measure 6 cun (2 handbreadths) in a
distal direction and, at that level, 1 fingerbreadth towards lateral
(place the middle finger onto the anterior crest of the tibia). There,
ST-37is located in a depression, which can be ‘dynamically’ pal-
pated (choose the point according to pressure sensitivity). Or:
Find the midpoint of the line joining ➞ST-35and ➞ST-41(in
the depression between the tendons of the extensor digitorum
longus and the hallucis longus, level with the highest prominence
of the lateral malleolus) by using the spreading hands technique
(➞2.3.3). ST-37is located 2 cun proximal and 1 fingerbreadth
lateral to this point.
Needling
Vertically or obliquely 1–1.5 cun
Actions/Indications
● Regulates the Spleen, Stomach and Intestines, eliminates stag-
nation, clears Damp-Heat
● Opens the channel, alleviates pain
Special features
Lower he-sea point of the Large Intestine, Sea of Blood point.
Upper Great Emptiness SHANGJUXU ST-37
ST-35
ST-37
Crest of the tibia
Highest prominence
of the lateral malleolus
10 cun
3 cun
3 cun
1 finger-width
ST-36
Upper
border of
the patella
ST-35
ST-37
Tendon of the
extensor hallucis
longus
Level of the highest
prominence of the
lateral malleolus ST-41 Talocrural joint
(ankle joint)
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