僕參 : Pucan : Servant's Respect

Classifications:

Binding point of the foot Taiyang Sinews

Meetings:

Meeting of Bladder with Yang Qiao Mai

Location:

On the lateral side of the foot, 1.5 cun inferior to Kunlun Bl-60, in a tender depression on the calceneum.

Needling:

Perpendicular insertion 0.3 - 0.5 cun, or transverse superior insertion in "Yang Penetrative Needling".

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 fivejen, (the needle) is retained for a duration of ten 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:

Relaxes the sinews, activates the channel and alleviates pain

TCM Indications:

• Headache, heavy head, heaviness of the head like a stone.
  
• Mania, manic raving, seeing ghosts, loss of consciousness, childhood epilepsy, vomiting, turbid painful urinary dysfunction.
  
• Lumbar pain, atrophy disorder of the leg, Leg Qi (腳氣, Jiao Qi), Sudden Turmoil (霍亂, Huo Luan) Disorder with cramps, swelling of the knee, heel pain.

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Sural nerve (L5 - S2)

Dermatome Segment: S1

Deeper Structures: Sural nerve (L5 - S2)

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

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

Major Combinations:

• Cramps:
    Pucan Bl-61 with Zhiyin Bl-67, Jiexi St-41, Qiuxu GB-40 and GB-44
    (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:

One of the points in the External Dragons protocol in five element acupuncture, along with Baihui Du-20, Dazhu Bl-11 and Shenshu Bl-23, for eliminating a blockage between the therapist and patient, or a disconnection from themselves, with the additional presence of external symptoms or trauma.

In "Yang penetrative needling", to promote flow of qi through the foot taiyang Bladder meridian, needle transversely through Kunlun Bl-60, Fuyang Bl-59 as far as Feiyang Bl-58 (Liu Yan, 2008, Diagrams of Acupuncture Manipulations, p.138).

Avicenna describes cupping at this point in his treatise On Cupping:

"Cupping on the heels is good in cases of amenorrhoea, sciatica, and gout." (Aspects of Treatment According to General Diseases, 22nd section in Abu-Asab, Amri & Micozzi, 2013, Avicenna's Medicine)

In Mayan medicine:
Used to treat pain in the lower limbs (Garcia, Sierra, Balam, 1999: Wind in the Blood)

In ayurvedic medicine:
Gulpha marma point
Size: 2 angula (cun)
Structure: Joint
Effect of Injury: Pain (rujakar marma)
(Harish Johari, 1996, Ayurvedic Massage, Sanatan Society; Anupama Bhattacharya, n.d. Marma Shastra)

Lad and Durve (2008) in Marma Points of Ayurveda locate a point called Parshni on the heel, one agula inferior to the tubercle. The closest acupoint would be this although there are no points on the heel, presumably due to the toughness of the skin making piercing with a needle too painful. I have seen tuina techniques performed here though.

They associate it with the doshas: Apana Vayu, Vyana Vayu and Shleshaka Kapha with the following functions:
- Benefits the heels
- Promotes circulation in the feet
- Relieves pain locally
- Balances prana and apana in the pelvic cavity

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

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