Clinical Reference
Orthopedic Acupuncture Points
Treatment at Acunatomy draws on a core set of acupuncture points and motor points, listed here by region. Each point is given with its location, the muscle it treats, and what it is used for. It is a clinical reference, not a self-treatment guide. To find the muscle behind a pain pattern, start with the Pain Finder or the Muscle Library.
Head and Neck
GB20 Fengchi Below the occipital bone, in the hollow between the upper end of the sternocleidomastoid and the outer edge of the trapezius. Muscle: Upper Trapezius, Splenius Capitis. Used for: Occipital headache, neck stiffness.
BL10 Tianzhu At the nape, in the hollow just outside the trapezius attachment, level with the second cervical vertebra. Muscle: Semispinalis Capitis, Splenius Capitis. Used for: Occipital headache, cervical pain.
GB21 Jianjing On the crest of the shoulder, midway between the C7 spinous process and the tip of the acromion. Muscle: Upper Trapezius. Used for: Upper trapezius tension, neck to shoulder pain.
Taiyang In the hollow of the temple, behind the midpoint between the outer end of the eyebrow and the outer corner of the eye. Muscle: Temporalis. Used for: Temporal headache.
LI4 Hegu On the back of the hand, in the web between the thumb and index finger, against the shaft of the second metacarpal. Used for: Head and face pain, and as a general pain point in most treatments. A distal point, needled away from the painful area.
Upper trapezius motor point In the belly of the upper trapezius, on the shoulder crest. Muscle: Upper Trapezius. Used for: Neck and shoulder tension, headache pattern.
Suboccipital motor points Against the underside of the occipital ridge, either side of the midline. Muscle: Suboccipitals. Used for: Headache at the base of the skull, neck stiffness.
Shoulder and Upper Back
LI15 Jianyu In the hollow at the front of the shoulder, between the tip of the acromion and the greater tubercle of the humerus. Muscle: Deltoid. Used for: Painful abduction, frozen shoulder.
TE14 Jianliao In the hollow behind the tip of the acromion. Muscle: Deltoid. Used for: Posterior shoulder pain.
SI9 Jianzhen Behind the shoulder joint, just above the posterior axillary fold. Muscle: Teres Major, Teres Minor. Used for: Posterior shoulder pain, restricted internal rotation.
SI10 Naoshu Directly above SI9, in the hollow below the outer end of the scapular spine. Muscle: Infraspinatus, Deltoid. Used for: Shoulder pain with overhead use.
SI11 Tianzong In the center of the infraspinous fossa, below the scapular spine. Muscle: Infraspinatus. Used for: Deep shoulder ache, and the infraspinatus referral pattern.
SI12 Bingfeng In the center of the suprascapular fossa, above the scapular spine. Muscle: Supraspinatus. Used for: Supraspinatus pain, painful overhead reach.
Infraspinatus motor point In the infraspinous fossa, below the scapular spine, over the muscle belly. Muscle: Infraspinatus. Used for: Rotator cuff pain, restricted internal rotation.
Subscapularis motor point Against the lateral border of the scapula, reached from the axillary line. Muscle: Subscapularis. Used for: Frozen shoulder, restricted external rotation.
Arm and Hand
LI11 Quchi At the elbow crease, midway between the biceps tendon and the lateral epicondyle. Muscle: Forearm Extensors. Used for: Lateral elbow pain, tennis elbow.
LI10 Shousanli On the fullest part of the extensor mass just below the elbow, the bulge that rises when the fist is clenched. Muscle: Forearm Extensors. Used for: Tennis elbow, forearm ache with gripping.
TE5 Waiguan On the back of the forearm, in the groove between the radius and the ulna, above the wrist crease. Muscle: Forearm Extensors. Used for: Dorsal wrist and forearm pain.
HT3 Shaohai At the inner end of the elbow crease, in front of the medial epicondyle. Muscle: Forearm Flexors. Used for: Medial elbow pain, golfer’s elbow.
PC6 Neiguan On the front of the forearm, between the two flexor tendons, above the wrist crease. Muscle: Forearm Flexors. Used for: Carpal tunnel symptoms, flexor-side wrist pain.
Forearm extensor motor points In the upper bellies of the extensor mass, below the lateral epicondyle. Muscle: Forearm Extensors. Used for: Tennis elbow, grip pain.
Torso and Abdomen
BL23 Shenshu Level with the L2 spinous process, in the muscular groove beside the spine. Muscle: Erector Spinae, Multifidi. Used for: Lumbar pain, deep low back ache.
BL25 Dachangshu Level with the L4 spinous process, in the muscular groove beside the spine. Muscle: Erector Spinae, Multifidi. Used for: Low back pain at the belt line.
BL52 Zhishi Level with the L2 spinous process, just outside the erector mass, below the tip of the twelfth rib. Muscle: Quadratus Lumborum. Used for: Flank and one-sided low back pain.
Quadratus lumborum motor point In the gap between the twelfth rib and the iliac crest, outside the erector mass. Muscle: Quadratus Lumborum. Used for: One-sided low back pain, pain on standing up from sitting.
Low Back and Hip
GB30 Huantiao On the line from the greater trochanter to the sacral hiatus, where the outer third meets the inner two thirds. Muscle: Piriformis, Gluteus Maximus. Used for: Deep buttock pain, pain in the sciatic distribution.
BL54 Zhibian In the gluteal mass beside the outer edge of the sacrum, level with the fourth sacral foramen. Muscle: Gluteus Maximus. Used for: Buttock pain, pain in the sciatic distribution.
BL31 to BL34 Baliao In the first to fourth posterior sacral foramina. Muscle: Multifidi. Used for: Sacroiliac pain.
BL36 Chengfu At the midpoint of the gluteal fold. Muscle: Hamstrings. Used for: Hamstring origin pain, posterior thigh pain.
GB29 Juliao Midway between the anterior superior iliac spine and the top of the greater trochanter. Muscle: Gluteus Medius, Tensor Fasciae Latae. Used for: Lateral hip pain, trochanteric pain.
GB31 Fengshi On the midline of the outer thigh, midway between the greater trochanter and the knee, where the fingertip rests with the arm hanging at the side. Muscle: Tensor Fasciae Latae. Used for: Lateral thigh pain, iliotibial band pain.
Piriformis motor point On the line from the outer edge of the sacrum to the greater trochanter, over the muscle belly. Muscle: Piriformis. Used for: Deep buttock pain, sciatic-type pain with no disc findings.
Gluteus medius motor point In the upper outer buttock, just below the iliac crest. Muscle: Gluteus Medius. Used for: Lateral hip pain, pain lying on that side.
Thigh and Knee
ST34 Liangqiu Above the upper outer corner of the patella, on the bulge of the vastus lateralis. Muscle: Quadriceps. Used for: Anterior knee pain.
SP10 Xuehai Above the upper inner corner of the patella, on the bulge of the vastus medialis. Muscle: Quadriceps. Used for: Medial knee pain, quadriceps control.
Xiyan In the hollows either side of the patellar ligament, with the knee bent. Muscle: Quadriceps. Used for: Knee osteoarthritis, anterior knee pain.
SP9 Yinlingquan In the hollow below the medial condyle of the tibia, where the bone turns upward. Muscle: Popliteus. Used for: Medial knee pain, knee swelling.
GB34 Yanglingquan In the hollow in front of and below the head of the fibula. Muscle: Peroneal Group. Used for: Lateral knee pain, and as a tendon and sinew point.
BL40 Weizhong At the midpoint of the popliteal crease, between the hamstring tendons. Muscle: Hamstrings, Popliteus. Used for: Back of knee pain, low back referral.
ST36 Zusanli Level with the lower border of the tibial tuberosity, just outside the front edge of the tibia, in the belly of the tibialis anterior. Muscle: Tibialis Anterior. Used for: Knee and leg pain, and as a general point.
Quadriceps motor points In the bellies of the vastus lateralis and the vastus medialis, above the knee. Muscle: Quadriceps. Used for: Knee pain, quadriceps inhibition after injury or surgery.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
BL57 Chengshan On the back of the calf, where the two bellies of the gastrocnemius meet the Achilles tendon. Muscle: Gastrocnemius. Used for: Calf pain and cramp.
BL60 Kunlun In the hollow between the lateral malleolus and the Achilles tendon. Muscle: Soleus, Peroneal Group. Used for: Lateral ankle pain, Achilles pain.
KI3 Taixi In the hollow between the medial malleolus and the Achilles tendon. Muscle: Soleus, Tibialis Posterior. Used for: Medial ankle pain, plantar heel pain.
GB40 Qiuxu In the hollow in front of and below the lateral malleolus. Muscle: Peroneal Group. Used for: Lateral ankle sprain.
ST41 Jiexi At the middle of the front of the ankle, between the two extensor tendons. Muscle: Tibialis Anterior. Used for: Anterior ankle pain.
Gastrocnemius motor points In the belly of each head, in the upper calf below the popliteal crease. Muscle: Gastrocnemius. Used for: Calf cramp and tightness, calf pain with running.
Soleus motor point At the inner border of the calf, below the gastrocnemius bellies and above the Achilles tendon. Muscle: Soleus. Used for: Heel pain, calf tightness, Achilles pain.
Peroneal motor point On the outer leg, in the muscle belly just below the head of the fibula. Muscle: Peroneal Group. Used for: Outer ankle pain, recurrent ankle sprain.
This page is a clinical reference for practitioners and for patients who want to understand the treatment. It is educational and does not diagnose your condition or instruct needling technique. Needling is performed only by a licensed clinician. Eugene Baek, L.Ac. · New Jersey License 25MZ00080600