居髎 : Juliao : Stationary Crevice

Location Guides:

Classifications:

Binding point of the foot Shaoyang and foot Yangming Sinews

Trigger point (Travell & Simons, 1998, Trigger Point Manual; Melzack, Stillwell & Fox, 1977)

Meetings:

Meeting of Gall Bladder with Yang Qiao Mai and Yang Wei Mai

Location:

On the lateral aspect of the hip joint, at the midpoint of a line drawn between the ASIS and the prominence of the greater trochanter. The Systematic Classic locates this point eight cun and three fen below Camphorwood Gate (Liv-13) in a depression on the hipbone, placing this point on the front of the body, around the groin, rather than on the side of the hip.

Needling:

Perpendicular insertion 1 - 2 cun, or oblique insertion inferiorly 2 - 3 cun

Classical Needling:

"The Shaoyang usually has little Blood and much Qi" (Su Wen 素問 ch. 24) implying this channel should normally be needled.
"The foot Shaoyang is to be pierced 4 fen deep and remain inserted for five exhalations" (Ling Shu 靈樞 ch. 12).
"It is needled to a depth of eight fen and moxaed with three cones" (Huangfu Mi 皇甫謐, 3rd Century, Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing 針灸甲乙經).

TCM Actions:

Activates the channel and alleviates pain
Benefits the hip joint

TCM Indications:

• Pain of the back and leg, lumbar pain radiating to the lower abdomen, hip pain radiating to the groin, weakness and paralysis of the leg, sciatica, Shan (疝) Disorder, pain of the front of the shoulder radiating to the chest, inability to raise the arm.
  
• Oedema, vomiting, diarrhoea.

Neuroanatomy:

Superficial Innervation: Lateral cutaneous nerve of the thigh (L2 - L3)

Dermatome Segment: L1

Deeper Structures: Superior gluteal nerve (L4 - S1) to gluteus minimus muscle

Trigger Point Associations:

Muscle:
Gluteus minimus and tensor fasciae latae

Location Notes:
There are several other possible trigger points for gluteus minimus located on the posteriorly on the body of this muscle between this point and zhiban Bl-54. Tensor fasciae latae trigger point is slightly superior just under the ASIS

Pain Referral Pattern:

Pirformis: To the buttock and down the lateral aspect of the leg to the lateral malleolus
Tensor fasciae latae: Lateral side of thigh

Indications:
Diseases of the hip joint ; Degenerative conditions of lumbar spine

Martial Applications & Effects of Injury:

See Montaigue, Dim Mak Locations, Taijiworld.com for explanation of effects.

Major Combinations:

• Wind-Damp leg pain:
    Juliao GB-29 with Huantiao GB-30 and Weizhong Bl-40
    (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).
  
  
• Sciatica:
    Juliao GB-29 with Huantiao GB-30, Ciliao Bl-32 and Weizhong Bl-40 (Deadman, Al-Khafaji and Baker, 2001, A Manual of Acupuncture).

Notes:

Important point on the 胯 Kua (hip-groin functional musculoskeletal region) that facilitates the opening and closing of the hips.

Jeffrey Yuen (2005, The Eight Extraordinary Vessels) suggests using this point and Naoshu SI-10 to ground a person in the present as they are the meeting of Yang wei mai and Yang qiao mai.

He also recommends cupping on these two points combined with needling Ah shi points as part of a Qiao mai treatment for unilateral chronic Bi as Qiao deals with suffering and Wei deal with issues over time.

Avicenna describes cupping at this point in his treatise On Cupping:

"Cupping on the hip can be used to treat sciatica and possible joint dislocation." (Aspects of Treatment According to General Diseases, 22nd section in Abu-Asab, Amri & Micozzi, 2013, Avicenna's Medicine)

In ayurvedic medicine:
Natimba marma point
Size: 1/2 angula (cun)
Structure: Bone
Effect of Injury: Premature death (kalantarpranahar marma)
(Harish Johari, 1996, Ayurvedic Massage, Sanatan Society; Anupama Bhattacharya, n.d. Marma Shastra)

In Thai massage:
Point along the Sahatsarangsi (left) and Tawaree (right) sen lines ascending up the outer leg to the abdomen and chest (Salguero & Roylance, 2011, Encyclopedia of Thai Massage)

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