膝關 : Xiguan : Knee Joint

Location Guides:

Location:

Posterior and inferior to the medial condyle of the tibia, 1 cun posterior to Yinlingquan Sp-9.

Needling:

Perpendicular insertion 1 - 2 cun

Classical Needling:

"The Jueyin usually has much Blood and little Qi" (Su Wen 素問 ch. 24) implying this channel should normally be bled.
"The foot Jueyin is to be pierced 1 fen deep and remain inserted for two exhalations" (Ling Shu 靈樞 ch. 12).
"It is needled to a depth of fourfen and moxaed with five cones" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).

TCM Actions:

Dispels Wind-Damp
Benefits the knee and relaxes the sinews

TCM Indications:

• Swelling and pain of the knee, pain of the inner aspect of the knee radiating to the patella, Crane's Knee Wind, wind Painful Obstruction (痹, Bi), White Tiger Joint Wind pain, difficulty in flexing and extending the knee, cold damp pouring downwards.
  
• Abdominal pain, pain in the throat.

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Saphenous nerve (L3 - L4)

Dermatome Segment: L4

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

Striking or grabbing will cause great local pain that will rise to the ears with loss of balance, helping to set up for a major attack (Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com).

Major Combinations:

• Disorders of the knee and below the knee:
    Moxa at Xiguan Liv-7 with Dubi St-35, Zusanli St-36 and Yanglingquan GB-34
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Redness, swelling and pain of the knees:
    Xiguan Liv-7 with Weizhong Bl-40, Zusanli St-36 and Yinshi St-33
    (Yang Jizhou, 杨继洲, 1601: Zhen Jiu Da Cheng, 針灸大成, Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion).
  
  
• Redness, swelling and pain of the knees with inability to walk:
    Xiguan Liv-7 with Xiyan Ex-LE-5
    (Yu Long Ge, 玉龍賦, Song of the Jade Dragon. First recorded in Wang Guorui, 王國瑞, 1329: Bian Que Shen Ying Zhen Jiu, Yu Long Jing, 扁鵲神應針灸玉龍經, Bian Que's Spiritual Guide to Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Classic of the Jade Dragon).
  
  
• Pain of the medial aspect of the knee:
    Xiguan Liv-7 with Ququan Liv-8
    (Wang Zhizhong, 王執中, 1220: Zhen Jiu Zi Sheng Jing, 針灸資生經, Classic of Supporting Life with Acupuncture and Moxibustion).

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