梁丘 : Liangqiu : Ridge Mound

Location Guides:

Classifications:

Xi-Cleft point

Location:

On the thigh, on a line drawn between the lateral border of the patella and the ASIS, in a depression 2 cun proximal to the superior border of the patella.

Needling:

Perpendicular or oblique insertion 1 - 1.5 cun

Classical Needling:

"The Yangming usually has much Qi and much Blood" (Su Wen 素問 ch. 24) implying this channel can normally be needled or bled.
"The foot Yangming is to be pierced 6 fen deep and remain inserted for ten exhalations" (Ling Shu 靈樞 ch. 12).
"It is needled to a depth of three fen and moxaed with three cones" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).

TCM Actions:

Activates the channel and alleviates pain
Harmonises the Stomach and alleviates pain
Moderates acute conditions

TCM Indications:

• Swelling and pain of the knee, difficulty in flexing and extending the knee, pain of the knee and leg, Crane's Knee Wind, difficulty in walking, Painful Obstruction (痹, Bi) of the shin, cold Painful Obstruction (痹, Bi) with numbness, cold of the legs and feet, lumbar pain.
  
• Epigastric pain, acid regurgitation, breast abscess, pain and swelling of the breast, 'big fright'.

I Ching Hexagram:

䷑ Gu 蠱 Decaying, cursed, poison

Shared with Diji Sp-8. Balanced by ䷐ (Sanjian LI-3 or Shaoshang Lu-11).

Hexagram attributions are my own with an explanation given in the glossary.

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Intermediate femoral cutaneous nerve of the thigh from L2 - L4

Dermatome Segment: L3

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

As a Xi-cleft point where accumulates, striking it causes loss of power due to a hindrance of Qi and Blood. Local pain and loss of leg power is immediately apparent (Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com).

Major Combinations:

• Breast abscess:
    Liangqiu St-34 with Diwuhui GB-42
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Contracted sinews with difficulty in flexing and extending the knee, and inability to walk:
    Liangqiu St-34 with Ququan Liv-8 and Xiyangguan GB-33
    (Sun Simiao, 孫思邈, 625: Bei Ji Qian Jin Yao Fang, 備急千金要方, Essential Prescriptions Worth A Thousand Gold).
  
  
• Acute epigastric pain:
    Liangqiu St-34 with Lianmen St-21 (Deadman, Al-Khafaji and Baker, 2001, A Manual of Acupuncture).
  
  
• Stiffness, soreness and pain of the knee:
    Liangqiu St-34 with Xuehai Sp-10, Xiyan Ex-Le-5, Yanglingquan GB-34 and Yinlingquan Sp-9 (Deadman, Al-Khafaji and Baker, 2001, A Manual of Acupuncture).

Notes:

The Hexagram associated with this point is ䷑ 蠱 Gu, referring to a worm or insect that causes spoilage and was used as a means of cursing enemies. This point's grouping as a Xi-Cleft point on the Stomach channel gives it actions on acute gastrointestinal symptoms common in Gu illness.

In Mayan medicine:
Used for pain in the feet and legs (Garcia, Sierra, Balam, 1999: Wind in the Blood)

In ayurvedic medicine:
Ani marma point
Size: 1/2 angula (cun)
Structure: Tendon
Effect of Injury: Disability (vaikalyakar marma)
(Harish Johari, 1996, Ayurvedic Massage, Sanatan Society; Anupama Bhattacharya, n.d. Marma Shastra)

In Tibetan medicine:
Moxa point (AMNH, Tibetan Medical Paintings)

In Thai massage:
Point along the Itha (left) and Pingala (right) sen lines running from the navel Shenque Ren-8 to this point where it turns to the back of the knee Weizhong Bl-40.
Also point along the Sahatsarangsi (left) and Tawaree (right) sen lines ascending up the outer leg to the chest and terminating in the eyes Chengqi St-1.
Indicated for knee pain/injury/arthritis.
(Salguero & Roylance, 2011, Encyclopedia of Thai Massage)

Reference Notes:

Basic information on location, needle depth, TCM actions, indications and combinations is taken from Deadman et al (2001): A Manual of Acupuncture with additional anatomical information researched by reference to Gray's Anatomy (38th Ed., 1995) unless otherwise referenced. Images were found on acupunctureschoolonline.com and can be traced back to Claudia Focks (2008) Atlas of Acupuncture originally. I cannot claim any credit or rights over them. Other sources should be quoted in the text.

For some of the more unusual terms I have created a glossary here