When thinking of acupressure, you might envision someone rubbing areas of the head, neck, or back to alleviate pain or issues found there. However, acupressure is not just about massage to treat the immediate region. It is actually a form of ancient traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that has been used for centuries to address a shockingly long list of health issues, illnesses, and pain. The aches and pains treated by acupressure can be symptoms of other issues or pains in their own right, and acupressure is used to overcome the pains by unclogging “meridians.”
UNDERSTANDING MERIDIANS
The human body is a lot like a highway in which there are many major and minor roads and lots of “traffic” in the form of Qi or energy. Sometimes, and for any number of reasons, the energy can become unbalanced or even blocked. While diet and gentle exercise are part of overcoming issues of this kind, the use of acupressure to rebalance the Qi is also a remedy.
When the pain is focused on the legs, it could be due to any number of issues, and TCM will use a holistic approach to treating leg pain that includes everything from acupressure to discussions of emotional turmoil.
TREATING LEG PAIN
As one expert noted, if “you’re looking for a way to get relief from leg pain without any medication, the Eastern medicine technique called acupressure, could be an option. Using specific pressure points, you can apply pressure to relieve pain and other symptoms, but you’ll only see success if you know how to find the right points.”
Those points are most commonly found in the hand. Treating pain in the legs involves the following steps:
- Put the hand palm down and using the other hand, locate the area where the joints of the thumb and index meet. There is a distinct depression there, and by using acupressure in that area for a few minutes at a time, you may alleviate leg pain, headache, and cold or flu symptoms.
- Acupressure is done by using a finger or two to apply pressure deeply to the area and use a rotating or up and down movement to release the Qi
- After massaging this meridian, move to the area under the pinky finger and press at the area where it is most tender to locate the depression. Use acupressure massage here for leg pain as well as immune system issues, depression, and anxiety
There are also acupressure points in the feet and at the backs of the knees, however, it is the points in the hand that is most frequently used to address and/or alleviate leg pain. These same points can help with heel, foot, and knee or hip pain.
It is important to remember that any pain if it is prolonged, is a sign of something seriously out of balance in the body. Acupressure is part of a health system and is not a replacement for additional medical intervention. If leg pain persists or worsens after a few acupressure sessions, it is time to visit a doctor to see if the illness is leading to the pain.
On the Stomach meridian, located 3 cun below ST 35, one finger width lateral from the anterior border of the tibia. Generally found by sliding your 4 fingers together up your shin towards the knee stopping when your hand hits the knee. The point will be one finger width from the tibia on the outside of the leg just in line with the bottom of your pinky finger, pressing where it is most tender.
¤ Uses: anxiety, depression, low energy, leg pain, low immunity.
Spleen (SP) 6
On the Spleen meridian, located 3 cun directly above the tip of the medial malleolus on the posterior border of the tibia.
Generally found by sliding your finger along the inside of the tibia up from the ankle about 4 fingers width and pressing where it most sore.
¤ Uses: stress, insomnia, anxiety, low energy. Do not use if pregnant.
Liver (LV) 3
On the Liver meridian, located on the dorsum of the foot in a depression distal to the junctions of the 1st and 2nd metatarsal bones. Generally found by sliding your finger in the depression between your big toe and the second toe until you are near where the tendons meet, then press where it is most sore.
¤ Uses: anger, irritability, stress, headaches, menstrual pain, anxiety.
Kidney (KD, KI) 1
On the Kidney meridian, located on your sole, in a depression with a foot in plantar flexion, at the junction of the anterior 1/3 and posterior 2/3 of the line connecting the base of the 2nd and 3rd toes with the heel. Generally found by sliding your finger along the bottom of your foot between the big toe and the second toe falling into a depression slightly below the bottom of the big toe joint, pressing where it is most sore.
¤ Uses: insomnia, palpitations, anxiety, poor memory, hot flashes, night sweats.
Acupressure Point Sections:
- Main Acupressure Points Page
- Head, Scalp, Shoulder Points
- Arm and Hand Points
- Chest and Abdomen Points
- Note: Acupuncture points are often located by the cun measurement, which is a relative measurement tool.
- You can click on the point names below to find more information about the point and the meridian name to see a graphic of the meridian.
- For particular conditions, you can read our conditions treated section which offers some of the more commonly used points for a given condition.