The knee joint is one of the more complex joints in the human body, with all the structures of a typical synovial joint: articular surfaces, joint cavity, and joint capsule. It also has various accessory structures such as fibrocartilage menisci, anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments, medial and lateral collateral ligaments, bursae, synovial folds, and fat pads. Any injury or pathology in any of these structures can cause knee pain.
The key to treating knee pain: for acute sprain, find the Liangqiu point; for joint effusion, seek the Dubi point; for cold knee, target the Kunlun point; for knee pain, massage the Zhongzhu point; for gallbladder meridian knee pain, focus on the Yanglingquan point; and to improve blood circulation, use the Kneeling Knee Drawing Blood method.
The specific technique for acupressure is to use the thumb (or index finger, middle finger) to press on the acupoint and rotate in a clockwise or counterclockwise motion. Each acupoint should be pressed 100-200 times, with a certain amount of pressure applied.
It is best to perform acupressure twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening, and be consistent in doing so.
(1) Liangqiu (Stomach Meridian: Xi acupoint)
[Location] Bend the knee, on the front of the thigh, on the line connecting the anterior superior iliac spine and the lateral end of the patella, 2 inches above the patella.
[Indications] Knee swelling and pain, lower limb paralysis, stomach pain, breast abscess, hematuria.
(2) Dubi (Stomach Meridian)
[Location] Bend the knee, on the knee, in the depression on the lateral side of the patella and patellar ligament.
[Indications] Knee pain, lower limb paralysis, limited flexion and extension, foot qi.
(3) Kunlun (Bladder Meridian)
[Location] On the back of the foot, behind the lateral malleolus, in the depression between the lateral malleolus and the Achilles tendon.
[Indications] Headache, stiff neck, dizziness, epilepsy, difficult labor, lumbosacral pain, heel pain.
(4) Zhongzhu (Triple Energizer Meridian: Shu acupoint)
[Location] On the back of the arm, behind the middle phalanx of the ring finger (metacarpophalangeal joint), in the depression between the 4th and 5th metacarpal bones.
[Indications] Headache, dizziness, red eyes, eye pain, deafness, tinnitus, throat obstruction, shoulder, back, elbow, and arm soreness, inability to flex and extend fingers, spine pain, fever.
(5) Yanglingquan (Gallbladder Meridian)
[Location] On the outside of the knee, at the depression above the lateral condyle of the femur.
[Indications] Knee swelling and pain, hamstring cramps, numbness in the lower leg.
(6) Shousanli (Large Intestine Meridian)
[Location] On the back of the arm, on the radial side, in the depression between the Yangxi and Chize points, 2 inches below the transverse crease of the elbow.
[Indications] Toothache, cheek pain, upper limb paralysis, abdominal pain, diarrhea.
(7) Hedongxue (Extraordinary Acupoint)
[Location] On the upper part of the knee, bent knee, above the midpoint of the patella.
[Indications] Knee pain, leg pain, knee joint soreness, leg weakness, lower limb weakness, paralysis.
