Yang Heel Vessel
A lateral channel from the heel to the head, associated with leg movement and wakefulness.
Pathway
The Yang Heel Vessel (陽蹻脈, Yangqiao Mai) begins at BL-62 Shenmai on the lateral side of the heel. It ascends the lateral leg and hip, crosses the side of the abdomen and chest, passes the shoulder and neck, and reaches the inner canthus of the eye and the brain.
Its name — "heel" or "tiptoe" vessel — reflects its association with the outer leg and with the body's readiness to move.
Role in TCM theory
- Lateral movement — The vessel is traditionally associated with the outer leg, balance, and the ability to lift the foot.
- Wakefulness — Classical texts pair the Yang Heel with alertness and the Yin Heel with sleep; imbalance between them is described in insomnia patterns.
- The side of the body — Its lateral route links it with the shoulder, neck, and side of the head.
- Paired with the Governing Vessel — Its confluent point, BL-62, is paired with SI-3 on the Governing Vessel.
Key points associated with the vessel
| Point | Name | Location | Traditional use |
|---|---|---|---|
| BL-62 | Shenmai (申脈) | In the depression directly below the lateral malleolus | The confluent point of the Yang Heel Vessel; traditionally used for the outer ankle, low back, and sleep patterns |
| BL-59 | Fuyang (跗陽) | Three cun above the lateral malleolus, on the posterior border of the fibula | The xi-cleft point of the Yang Heel Vessel; classically used for the outer leg and low back |
| SI-3 | Houxi (後溪) | At the ulnar end of the distal palmar crease | The paired point on the Governing Vessel; traditionally used for neck and back stiffness |
Point locations follow the WHO Standard Acupuncture Nomenclature (1991). The extraordinary vessels borrow points from the primary meridians; the table lists the points most closely associated with this vessel in standard references.
Confluent point
BL-62 Shenmai is the confluent point of the Yang Heel Vessel; SI-3 Houxi is its paired point on the Governing Vessel. In clinical practice, the confluent point is the main point used when a practitioner wants to influence this vessel through acupressure or needling.
How this is viewed today
BL-62 and SI-3 are used in clinical research on neck and low-back pain and on insomnia. Evidence is limited and often short-term. Press gently around the ankle, especially with a history of sprain or ligament injury.
Sources & further reading
- Huangdi Neijing (黃帝內經), c. 2nd century BCE.
- Nanjing (難經), c. 1st–2nd century CE.
- World Health Organization, Standard Acupuncture Nomenclature, 2nd ed., 1991.
- Deadman P, Al-Khafaji M, Baker K. A Manual of Acupuncture. Journal of Chinese Medicine Publications.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Acupuncture: What You Need To Know.
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