Atlas of Acupuncture

4.7 The Bladder Channel System – Foot taiyang(zu tai yang jing luo)

Location

At the lateral border of the foot, in the depression distal to the

metatarsophalangeal joint of the little toe.

How to find

When palpating along the border of the ‘red and white’ skin on

the lateral aspect of the foot, at approximately the midpoint of

the length of the foot, a clearly defined bony structure can be

felt. This is the tuberosity of the 5th metatarsal bone. Distal to it

(towards the toes), you can feel a further prominent bony struc-

ture, the head of the 5th metatarsal bone (or the 5th metatarso-

phalangeal joint). BL-66is located directly distal to it, in a

depression at the junction of the base and the shaft of the proxi-

mal phalanx of the little toe.

➞BL-65is located proximal to the head of the 5th metatarsal

bone. ➞SP-2is located in a comparable position on the medial

aspect of the foot. Located in comparable positions on the hand

are ➞S.I.-2(on the ulnar aspect) and ➞L.I.-2(on the radial

aspect).

Needling

Vertically 0.3–0.5 cun. Caution: Painful point.

Actions/Indications

● Clears the head

● Descends the Lung and Stomach Qi

● Calms the shen

Special features

Ying-spring point, Water point, benpoint (Five Phases point).

Foot Connecting Valley ZUTONGGU BL-66

Tuberosity of the 5th metatarsal

BL-66 BL-65 BL-64

G.B.-40

BL-60

BL-62

BL-63 BL-61

BL-64

BL-67 BL-66 BL-65

G.B.-44 G.B.-43

G.B.-42

G.B.-41

SP-2

SP-3 SP-4

S.I.-3

S.I.-2

L.I.-2

Proximal phalanx II

Metacarpal II

Ch04.7b-F10028.qxd 2/22/08 5:01 PM Page 313