Location
3 thumb widths above the gb34 lateral to the knee joint in the depression above the external epicondyle of the femur.
Cautions
Avoid in acute knee injury.
Indications
Conditions for which GB33 is listed as indicated. An indication list is a reference index, not a prescription – see the protocols below for sourced treatments.
Benefit JointsBenefit JointsDisease KneeDisease KneeStiff KneeTendon Ligament StiffnessImmobility KneeImmobility Tendon / LigamentNumbnessKnee Lateral PainKnee Lateral PainQi LegQi Leg RednessStrain QuadricepsStrain Quadriceps SwellingBi Arthralgia Leg Inferior SyndromeBi / Arthralgia Leg Inferior SyndromeBi Arthralgia Wind SyndromeBi / Arthralgia Wind SyndromeWind Damp SyndromeWind-damp Syndrome
Protocols using GB33
- Knee Pain, Osteoarthritis Knee, Stiffness Knee, Inflammation Joint – ST34, ST35, ST36, ST40, ST41, SP06, SP09, SP10, BL60, KD03, GB31, GB33, GB34, GB36, GB39, GB41, LV03, LV07, LV08 (https://doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S256950)
- Knee Pain, Osteoarthritis Knee, Stiffness Knee – ST35, SP06, SP10, KD03, GB33, LV08 (https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-025-04985-w)
- Knee Pain, Osteoarthritis Knee, Stiffness Knee – ST34, ST35, ST36, SP10, BL18, BL23, GB33, GB34 (https://doi.org/10.1186/s12984-025-01692-y)
- Knee Pain, Osteoarthritis Knee, Stiffness Knee, Restricted Range-of-motion Knee – ST35, ST36, SP06, SP09, BL40, GB33, GB34, LV08 (https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/1686952)
- Knee Pain, Osteoarthritis Knee, Stiffness Knee – LU06, LI04, LI10, LI15, ST34, ST36, ST40, ST44, SP05, SP06, SP09, SP10, SI08, SI10, BL23, BL40, BL60, KD03, KD07, KD10, TB14, GB33, GB34, LV03, LV07, LV08 (https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-4-6)
- Knee Osteoarthritis – ST35, ST36, SP09, SP10, BL40, GB33, GB34 (Combined Effect of Laser Acupuncture and Electroacupuncture in Knee Osteoarthritis Patients. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04188925)
- Stroke, Hemiplegia, Leg Weakness, Spasticity – SP09, BL59, KD06, KD08, GB33, GB34, GB40, LV08 (https://doi.org/10.13702/j.1000-0607.20250680)
- Hemiplegia, Motor Dysfunction, Ischemic Stroke, Neurological Impairment – LI04, LI11, ST36, SP06, GB20, GB33, GB39, GV20 (Wu P, Zeng F, Li YX, Li J, Qiu LH, Qin W, Luo L, Yin CX, Xiong Y, Bai Y, Wang D, Zhou YM, Liang FR. Effect of acupuncture plus conventional treatment on brain activity in ischemic stroke patients: a regional homogeneity analysis. J Tradit Chin Med. 2017; 37(5): 650-658.)
- Osteoarthritis Knee – ST34, ST35, SP10, GB33, GB34 (MENG Chang-rong, FAN Li, FU Wen-bin, LI Yong. Clinical Research on Abdominal Acupuncture plus Conventional Acupuncture for Knee Osteoarthritis. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2009, 29(4): 249-252)
- Headache Migraine, Migraine Without Aura – TB08, GB33, GB42 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nicl.2017.05.013)
- Knee Pain, Osteoarthritis Knee, Stiffness Knee – ST34, ST36, SP09, SP10, GB33, LV08 (https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000029306)
- Post-stroke Depression – LU04, LI04, LI06, LI07, LI10, LI11, LI12, LI13, LI15, ST02, ST32, ST33, ST34, ST36, ST37, ST39, ST40, ST44, SP06, SP10, SP11, HT05, BL15, BL20, BL23, BL61, BL64, KD02, KD03, PC02, PC03, PC06, TB03, TB06, TB07, TB09, TB12, TB14, GB20, GB31, GB33, GB43, LV02, LV03, LV05, LV14, GV20, GV23, GV26 (Acupuncture for Ischemic Post-stroke Depression. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02472613)