曲泉 (Qūquán) — Spring at the Bend
Liver channel · point 8
Traditionally used for
- Eye health
- Digestion
- Urinary & fluids
- Menstrual & women's health
- Fertility & vitality
- Pain & joints
- Skin
Location
On the medial aspect of the knee, at the medial end of the popliteal crease, in the depression medial to the tendons of semitendinosus and semimembranosus; with the knee flexed, it lies medial to the most prominent tendon.
How to locate: With the knee flexed and the hip slightly externally rotated, find the medial end of the popliteal crease and the prominent, cord-like semitendinosus tendon; the point is in the depression on the side of the tendons nearer the kneecap, at the end of the crease.
Distances are in cun, a proportional unit — how to measure.
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
Techniques — the source gives these as alternatives:
-
Perpendicular insertionDepth 1–1.5 cunskindeeper
-
Insertion — slightly posteriorDepth 1–1.5 cunskindeeper
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. 485 Supports: techniques (names this point)
Site notes · not cited
Functions
- Nourishes Liver blood and yin
- Clears damp-heat from the lower burner
- Benefits the genitals and the uterus
- Relaxes the sinews and benefits the knee
Indications
Balance Method partners
Under Dr. Tan's six systems, LV8 at the knee balances these channels at the regions its segment images.
-
1. Same Chinese namePericardium channelElbow · Mirror (arm ↔ leg)Elbow · Reversed mirrorUpper abdomen, Lower back · Image, head at the hand/footChest, Upper back · Image, head toward the elbow/kneeSolve for the Pericardium channel →
-
2. Branching (Bie Jing / Zang Fu Bie Tong)Large Intestine channelElbow · Mirror (arm ↔ leg)Elbow · Reversed mirrorUpper abdomen, Lower back · Image, head at the hand/footChest, Upper back · Image, head toward the elbow/kneeSolve for the Large Intestine channel →
-
3. Interior–exterior pairGallbladder channelKnee, Back of knee · Same segment, opposite sideUpper abdomen, Lower back · Image, head at the hand/footChest, Upper back · Image, head toward the elbow/kneeSolve for the Gallbladder channel →
-
4. Chinese clock oppositeSmall Intestine channelElbow · Mirror (arm ↔ leg)Elbow · Reversed mirrorUpper abdomen, Lower back · Image, head at the hand/footChest, Upper back · Image, head toward the elbow/kneeSolve for the Small Intestine channel →
-
5. Chinese clock neighbourLung channelElbow · Mirror (arm ↔ leg)Elbow · Reversed mirrorUpper abdomen, Lower back · Image, head at the hand/footChest, Upper back · Image, head toward the elbow/kneeSolve for the Lung channel →
-
6. Same channelLiver channelKnee, Back of knee · Same segment, opposite sideUpper abdomen, Lower back · Image, head at the hand/footChest, Upper back · Image, head toward the elbow/kneeSolve for the Liver channel →
Classical calendar method · 子午流注
When the tables open LV8
The hours Zi Wu Liu Zhu names this point at, by method. Times are the double-hour's start in UTC.
-
乙卯 05:00–07:00 Na Jia Fa, 丁-day sequence · He-Sea (合)
「乙卯肝經曲泉合」
Next: Wed 21 Oct, 05:00
-
寅 03:00–05:00 Na Zi Fa, LV channel · reinforce (補)
「補用寅時，曲泉，為合水」
Next: Thu 15 Oct, 03:00
A classical reference, not a recommendation: the tables say when the method opens this point, not that it is the point to needle. Open points by the hour →
Clinical Notes
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.)
📝 Notes
Public notes from the community and your own private notes on LV8 Ququan.
No notes yet.