# GB33 Xiyangguan (Yang Knee Gate) – Gallbladder Meridian

膝陽關 · xī yáng guān

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.

Canonical page: https://acuiq.com/points/gb33

## Indications

An indication list is a reference index, not a prescription – see the protocols below for sourced treatments.

Benefit Joints, Benefit Joints, Disease Knee, Disease Knee, Stiff Knee, Tendon Ligament Stiffness, Immobility Knee, Immobility Tendon / Ligament, Numbness, Knee Lateral Pain, Knee Lateral Pain, Qi Leg, Qi Leg, Redness, Strain Quadriceps, Strain Quadriceps, Swelling, Bi Arthralgia Leg Inferior Syndrome, Bi / Arthralgia Leg Inferior Syndrome, Bi Arthralgia Wind Syndrome, Bi / Arthralgia Wind Syndrome, Wind Damp Syndrome, Wind-damp Syndrome

## Most often selected alongside GB33

Sourced protocols in the index pairing each point with this one. Corpus frequency, not a combination to use.

- ST35 (Calf's Nose) – 20 protocols
- SP10 (Sea Of Blood) – 19 protocols
- GB34 (Yang Mound Spring) – 18 protocols
- ST36 (Leg Three Miles) – 17 protocols
- ST34 (Ridge Mound) – 15 protocols
- LV08 (Spring At The Bend) – 14 protocols
- SP09 (Yin Mound Spring) – 14 protocols
- SP06 (Three Yin Intersection) – 13 protocols

## Protocols using GB33

| Symptoms | Points | Course | Source | Kind | Caveat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 42 days | doi:10.1186/1472-6882-4-6 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| Knee Pain, Osteoarthritis Knee, Stiffness Joint | ST06, ST34, ST35, ST36, SP04, SP05, SP06, SP09, SP10, BL20, BL40, BL57, BL58, BL60, BL62, KD03, KD10, GB33, GB34, LV08 | 28 days | doi:10.1155/2013/182528 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| Head Pain, Headache Migraine, Headache Unilateral | TB08, TB19, GB33 | 1 days | doi:10.1186/s12967-014-0351-6 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| Knee Pain, Osteoarthritis Knee, Stiffness Morning, Disability Musculoskeletal | LI04, ST34, ST35, ST36, ST40, ST41, SP06, SP09, SP10, BL60, KD03, GB31, GB33, GB34, GB36, GB39, GB41, LV03, LV08 | 56 days | doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2016-013830 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| Headache Migraine, Migraine Without Aura | TB08, GB33, GB42 | 28 days | doi:10.1016/j.nicl.2017.05.013 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| Knee Pain, Osteoarthritis Knee, Stiffness Knee, Restricted Range-of-motion Knee | ST35, ST36, SP06, SP09, BL40, GB33, GB34, LV08 | 56 days | doi:10.1155/2020/1686952 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| Knee Pain, Osteoarthritis Knee, Stiffness Joint | ST34, ST36, SP09, SP10, GB33, LV08 | 42 days | doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000021957 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| 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 | 56 days | doi:10.2147/JPR.S256950 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| Knee Pain, Osteoarthritis Knee, Stiffness Knee | ST34, ST36, SP09, SP10, GB33, LV08 | 42 days | doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000029306 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| Knee Pain, Knee Problems, Stiffness Knee, Arthritis Knee Degenerative | ST34, ST35, ST36, SP09, SP10, KD10, GB33, GB34 | 42 days | doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000030385 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| Knee Pain, Osteoarthritis Knee, Stiffness Knee | ST35, SP06, SP10, KD03, GB33, LV08 | 28 days | doi:10.1186/s12906-025-04985-w | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| Knee Pain, Osteoarthritis Knee, Stiffness Knee | ST34, ST35, ST36, SP10, BL18, BL23, GB33, GB34 | 14 days | doi:10.1186/s12984-025-01692-y | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| Osteoarthritis Knee, Liver-kidney Deficiency | ST35, ST36, GB33, GB34, LV08, CV04 | – | doi:10.27134/d.cnki.ghbzc.2024.000027 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| Knee Pain, Osteoarthritis Knee | LU05, LI11, ST35, GB31, GB33 | 56 days | doi:10.2196/77336 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| Stroke, Hemiplegia, Leg Weakness, Spasticity, Balance Impaired, Spasticity Post-stroke, Hemiplegia Post-stroke | SP09, BL59, KD06, KD08, GB33, GB34, GB40, LV08 | – | doi:10.13702/j.1000-0607.20250680 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| Knee Pain, Osteoarthritis Knee, Stiffness Knee | ST35, SP06, SP10, KD03, GB33, LV08, XL05A | 28 days | doi:10.1186/s12906-025-04985-w | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| Knee Pain, Osteoarthritis Knee, Stiffness Knee | ST34, ST35, ST36, SP10, BL18, BL23, GB33, GB34, XL05A | 14 days | doi:10.1186/s12984-025-01692-y | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| Knee Pain, Osteoarthritis Knee, Stiffness Knee | ST35, GB33, LV08, XL05A | 42 days | doi:10.2196/84082 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| Knee Pain, Osteoarthritis Knee, Stiffness Knee, Liver-kidney Deficiency, Wind-Cold-Damp Bi Syndrome | ST32, BL38, BL54, BL60, KD03, GB29, GB33, LV07 | – | doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20250424-k0005 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| Osteoarthritis Knee, Joint Knee Pain | ST35, GB33, GV03, XB08, XL05A | 28 days | doi:10.2147/jpr.s571098 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| Migraine Without Aura | TB08, GB33, GB42 | 28 days | doi:10.1177/0333102416641665 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| Knee Pain, Osteoarthritis Knee | ST34, ST35, ST36, SP09, SP10, KD10, GB33, GB34, XL05A, XL05B | 42 days | doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000030385 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| Parkinson's Disease | LI10, BL24, BL58, TB04, GB33 | – | doi:10.1002/mds.70343 | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| Knee Pain, Osteoarthritis Knee | ST35, SP06, SP10, KD03, GB33, LV08, XL05A | 28 days | doi:10.1186/s12906-025-04985-w | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| Knee Pain, Osteoarthritis Knee | ST34, ST35, ST36, SP10, BL18, BL23, GB33, GB34, XL05A | 14 days | doi:10.1186/s12984-025-01692-y | trial | Point selection reported in a published study. |
| Osteoarthritis Knee | ST34, ST35, SP10, GB33, GB34 | 28 days | 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 | text | Point selection recorded in a clinical text or case report. |
| Osteoarthritis Knee | ST26, ST34, ST35, SP10, SP15, GB33, GB34, CV04, CV06, CV12 | 28 days | 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 | text | Point selection recorded in a clinical text or case report. |
| Hemiplegia, Motor Dysfunction, Ischemic Stroke, Neurological Impairment | LI04, LI11, ST36, SP06, GB20, GB33, GB39, GV20 | 20 days | 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. | text | Point selection recorded in a clinical text or case report. |
| Knee Osteoarthritis | ST35, ST36, SP09, SP10, BL40, GB33, GB34 | – | Combined Effect of Laser Acupuncture and Electroacupuncture in Knee Osteoarthritis Patients. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04188925 | text | Point selection recorded in a clinical text or case report. |
| 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 | text | Point selection recorded in a clinical text or case report. |
| Knee Pain, Osteoarthritis Knee | ST34, ST35, ST36, SP06, SP09, SP10, GB33, GB34 | – | 于世超郑建强. 基于文献分析探究针灸治疗膝关节骨性关节炎的选穴规律. 中国中医药现代远程教育 ., 2023 [CNKI] | text | Point selection recorded in a clinical text or case report. |
| Paralysis Spastic Post-stroke | LI04, LI11, LI15, SP06, SP09, HT01, HT03, BL60, KD01, KD03, PC06, PC07, PC08, TB04, TB05, GB30, GB31, GB33, GB34, GB39, LV03, LV08 | – | Liu Xiafei, Bao Chunling, Dong Guirong. Using acupoint-to-acupoint penetrative needling to treat poststroke spastic paralysis: a clinical progress review. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2014 October 15; 34(5): 609-615. | text | Point selection recorded in a clinical text or case report. |
| Muscle Hypertonia Post-hemorrhagic Stroke | LU05, LI04, SP05, SP06, SP09, HT01, SI03, KD01, KD10, PC03, PC06, PC07, TB05, GB33, GB34, GB39, GB40, LV03, GV20, XH05 | 28 days | Liu Xiafei, Bao Chunling, Dong Guirong. Using acupoint-to-acupoint penetrative needling to treat poststroke spastic paralysis: a clinical progress review. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2014 October 15; 34(5): 609-615. | text | Point selection recorded in a clinical text or case report. |

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AcuiQ-authored prose (symptom and meridian descriptions, the wiki, the auricular crosswalk) is licensed CC-BY-4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. The assembled protocol compilation is not: build on it with attribution, but do not redistribute it whole as a dataset – https://acuiq.com/terms. The underlying findings are the cited sources' claims – each entry carries its citation; verify against the source before relying on it. Not medical advice: https://acuiq.com/terms