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Foot lesser yīn (shào yīn) kidney channel

足少阴肾经 〔足少陰腎經〕zú shào yīn shèn jīng

Abbreviation: KI. One of the twelve channels.

Connections

BL → KI → PC; homes to the kidney; nets the bladder.

Kidney Channel Pathway

Overview

Description

The foot lesser yīn (shào yīn) kidney channel starts on the underside of the little toe, runs obliquely over the sole of the foot to KI-1 (yǒng quán, Gushing Spring) and onward to emerge out of the arch of the foot under the tuberosity of the navicular bone at KI-2 (rán gǔ, Blazing Valley). It then proceeds posterior to the medial malleolus and continues into the heel. From here, it travels up the rear medial aspect of the lower leg to intersect with the foot greater yīn (tài yīn) (tai yīn) spleen channel at SP-6 (sān yīn jiāo, Three Yīn Intersection). Traveling up through the gastrocnemius muscle, it ascends across the medial aspect of the popliteal fossa and the posteromedial aspect of the thigh to the base of the spine, where it intersects with the governing vessel at GV-1 (cháng qiáng, Long Strong). It continues up the interior of the spinal column to home to the kidney, after which it turns downwards to net the bladder and intersect with the controlling (rèn) vessel at CV-4 (guān yuán, Pass Head) and CV-3 (zhōng jí, Central Pole).

From the kidney, the main pathway goes directly to the liver, crosses the diaphragm, enters the lung, and follows the throat up to either side of the root of the tongue.

A branch from the lung, links through to the heart, and disperses in the chest and meets the reverting yīn (jué yīn) pericardium channel.

Kidney Channel Acupoints

Indications of KI Channel Acupoints

The 27 points on the foot lesser yīn (shào yīn) kidney channel treat diseases of the kidney, anterior yīn (the genitals), gynecological disorders, disorders of the lung and throat, and other local problems in areas traversed by the channel.

Major KI Acupoints

KI-1 (涌泉 yǒng quán, Gushing Spring): Located on the inferior aspect of the foot, on a line drawn along the length of the foot roughly midway between the big and little toes, slightly posterior to the ball of the foot (about one third of the distance from the base of the toes to the posterior aspect of the heel).

KI-2 (然谷 rán gǔ, Blazing Valley): Located on the medial aspect of the foot, in the depression inferior to the tuberosity of the navicular bone.

KI- 3 (太溪 tài xī, Great Ravine): Located at the ankle joint, midway between the medial malleolus and the Achilles tendon (t. calcaneus), level with the tip of the malleolus.

Indications for KI Points
  • Inhibited urination: KI 2, 5, 10
  • Dribbling urinary block: KI 4, 6
  • Frequent urination: KI 3, 6
  • Water swelling: KI 7
  • Menstrual irregularities: KI 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 13, 14, 15
  • Flooding and spotting: KI 8, 10, 14
  • Menstrual pain and amenorrhea: KI 5
  • Infertility: KI 18
  • Difficult delivery: KI 6
  • Vertex headache: KI 1
  • Toothache: KI 3
  • Painful swollen throat: KI 1, 2, 3
  • Spontaneous or night sweating: KI 7
  • Insomnia: KI 3, 6
  • Lumbar pain: KI 3
  • Panting: KI 3, 4, 33, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27
  • Abdominal pain: KI 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21
  • Vomiting: KI 16, 18, 20, 21
  • Constipation: KI 4, 15, 16, 17, 18
  • Diarrhea: KI 2, 7, 8, 13, 14, 17, 21

KI-6 (照海 zhào hǎi, Shining Sea): Located on the medial aspect of the foot, about 1 cùn inferior to the lower border of the medial malleolus, inferior to the tibialis posterior tendon.

KI-7 (复溜 fù liū, Recover Flow): Located on the medial aspect of the lower leg, 2 cùn superior to the tip of the medial malleolus, adjacent to the anterior border of the Achilles tendon (t. calcaneus).

KI-9 (筑宾 zhú bīn, Guest House): Located on the medial aspect of the lower leg, 5 cùn superior to the medial malleolus, just inferior to the contour of the lower border of the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle on the line connecting KI-3 and KI-10.

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