跗陽 : Fuyang : Instep Yang

Location Guides:

Classifications:

Xi-Cleft point of the Yang Qiao Mai
Trigger point (Travell & Simons, 1998, Trigger Point Manual)

Meetings:

Meeting of Bladder with Yang Qiao Mai

Location:

On the lower leg, 3 cun directly superior to Kunlun Bl-60.

Needling:

Perpendicular or oblique insertion directed proximally or distally, 1 - 1.5 cun

Classical Needling:

"The Taiyang usually has much Blood and little Qi" (Su Wen 素問 ch. 24) implying this channel should normally be bled.
"The foot Taiyang is to be pierced 5 fen deep and remain inserted for seven exhalations" (Ling Shu 靈樞 ch. 12).
"It is needled to a depth of six fen, (the needle) is retained for a duration of seven exhalations, and it is moxaed with three cones" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).

TCM Actions:

Benefits the lumbar region and legs
Activates the channel and alleviates pain

TCM Indications:

• Lumbar pain with inability to stand for long, inability to stand after sitting, thigh pain, wind Painful Obstruction (痹, Bi) with numbness, atrophy disorder of the lower limb, inability to raise the four limbs, heaviness and soreness of the leg and knee, sciatica, cold damp Leg Qi (腳氣, Jiao Qi), ulceration of the leg, redness and swelling of the lateral malleolus.
  
• Heavy head, chills and fever, pain of the brow, Sudden Turmoil (霍亂, Huo Luan) Disorder with cramps, clonic spasm.

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Sural nerve (L5 - S2)

Dermatome Segment: S2

Deeper Structures: Sural nerve (L5 - S2)

Trigger Point Associations:

Muscle:
Flexor digitorum longus

Location Notes:
Slightly medial and deep to the gastrocnemus muscle

Pain Referral Pattern:
To lateral sole of foot and spillover across medial calf and ankle

Indications:
Strain of toe flexors

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

See Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com for explanation of effects.

Major Combinations:

• Clonic spasm:
    Fuyang Bl-59 with Tianjing SJ-10
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Heaviness of the head:
    Fuyang Bl-59 with Tongtian Bl-7 and Yamen Du-15
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).

Notes:

Ling Shu Ch. 52, On the Wei Qi, considers this to be the root of the foot Taiyang meridian with the tip being at Jingming Bl-1.

In Tung acupuncture a group of three points called Qi Hu, Seven Tigers (77.26), are located around this point. The lowest in 1 cun below, the second 1 cun above and the third 3 cun above this point (or 2, 4 and 6 cun above Kunlun Bl-60). They are indicated for neck and shoulder pain (Chu, 2015).

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