KI5

Shuiquan

Star

水泉 (Shuǐquán) — Water Spring

Kidney channel · point 5

Not yet clinically reviewed

Xi-Cleft point

Traditionally used for

Eye health
Urinary & fluids
Menstrual & women's health

Location

On the medial side of the foot, 1 cun directly below KI3, in the depression anterior and superior to the medial side of the tuberosity of the calcaneum.

How to locate: Find KI3 in the hollow between the prominence of the medial malleolus and the Achilles tendon, then move 1 cun straight down. The point is in the depression in front of the calcaneal tuberosity.

Distances are in cun, a proportional unit — how to measure.

Body map, front: KI5 · Foot — Fig. — KI5 · Foot After Albinus, 1747

Bones of the foot, dorsal — Gray's Anatomy plate — Bones of the foot, dorsal Gray's Anatomy, 1918

3D view

3D view not available for this point: its position on the 3D model couldn't be checked against its location text, so it is not shown. The 2D maps above show it.

Needling

Cited needling

Perpendicular-oblique insertion — directed away from the bone

Depth 0.3–0.5 cun

skindeeper

Depths describe average adult habitus in the cited population, never a single safe number for the patient in front of you. Palpate and adjust.

Sources (1)

Deadman P, Al-Khafaji M, Baker K. A Manual of Acupuncture. Hove: Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications; 1998 — p. 343 Supports: techniques (names this point)

Site notes · not cited

Depth: 0.3–0.5 cun

Angle: Perpendicular

Functions

Regulates the Chong Mai and Ren Mai
Regulates the uterus and menstruation
Promotes urination

Indications

Amenorrhoea and dysmenorrhoeairregular or scanty menstruationuterine prolapsedifficult urinationblurred vision

Balance Method partners

Under Dr. Tan's six systems, KI5 at the foot balances these channels at the regions its segment images.

1. Same Chinese name

Heart channel

Hand · Mirror (arm ↔ leg)
Head & face, Crown & occiput, Ear · Image, head at the hand/foot
Solve for the Heart channel →
2. Branching (Bie Jing / Zang Fu Bie Tong)

Triple Energiser channel

Hand · Mirror (arm ↔ leg)
Head & face, Crown & occiput, Ear · Image, head at the hand/foot
Solve for the Triple Energiser channel →
3. Interior–exterior pair

Bladder channel

Foot · Same segment, opposite side
Head & face, Crown & occiput, Ear · Image, head at the hand/foot
Solve for the Bladder channel →
4. Chinese clock opposite

Large Intestine channel

Hand · Mirror (arm ↔ leg)
Head & face, Crown & occiput, Ear · Image, head at the hand/foot
Solve for the Large Intestine channel →
5. Chinese clock neighbour

Pericardium channel

Hand · Mirror (arm ↔ leg)
Head & face, Crown & occiput, Ear · Image, head at the hand/foot
Solve for the Pericardium channel →
6. Same channel

Kidney channel

Foot · Same segment, opposite side
Head & face, Crown & occiput, Ear · Image, head at the hand/foot
Solve for the Kidney channel →

Clinical Notes

The Xi-Cleft of the Kidney, and specifically a gynaecological point — the choice where menstruation is absent or scanty on a Kidney-deficient background.

Sources

World Health Organization. WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations in the Western Pacific Region. Manila: WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific, 2008. (Location.)
Focks C, ed. Atlas of Acupuncture. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier, 2008. (Locating method and actions.)

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