Acupuncture Points for Lumbar Muscle Strain

6 sourced protocols, each with its citation.

Each card names its evidence kind. What these labels mean

Protocol (5 points)

100%

BL17 · BL23 · BL25 · BL40 · GV03

BL17Diaphragm Shu Point

BL17 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 膈俞 (gé shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV09 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 7th thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Fever, Shortness of Breath, Sweating, Dizziness

BL23Kidney Shu Point

BL23 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 腎俞 (shèn shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV04 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 2nd lumbar vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Diarrhea, Asthma, Tinnitus, Qi Deficiency

BL25Large Intestine Shu Point

BL25 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 大腸俞 (dà cháng shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV03 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 4th lumbar vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Common Cold, Constipation, Abdominal Bloating, Abdominal Pain

BL40Middle Of The Crease

BL40 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 委中 (wěi zhōng)

🎯 Location: Midpoint of the transverse crease of the popliteal fossa between tendons of the biceps femoris and semitendinosus.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in weakness/fatigue; avoid strong stimulation.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Diarrhea, Knee Pain, Vomiting, Abdominal Pain

GV03Yang Lumbar Gate

GV03 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 腰陽關 (yāo yáng guān)

🎯 Location: Below spinous process of the 4th lumbar vertebra at the level with iliac crest.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Numbness, Lower Back Pain, Urine White, Benefit Legs, Benefit Back Lumbar

Study-reported

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.27879/d.cnki.ggxzy.2024.000079 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL23, BL25, BL40, GV03 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20220719-k0003 ↗

Protocol (3 points)

100%

BL23 · BL25 · BL40

BL23Kidney Shu Point

BL23 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 腎俞 (shèn shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV04 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 2nd lumbar vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Diarrhea, Asthma, Tinnitus, Qi Deficiency

BL25Large Intestine Shu Point

BL25 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 大腸俞 (dà cháng shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV03 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 4th lumbar vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Common Cold, Constipation, Abdominal Bloating, Abdominal Pain

BL40Middle Of The Crease

BL40 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 委中 (wěi zhōng)

🎯 Location: Midpoint of the transverse crease of the popliteal fossa between tendons of the biceps femoris and semitendinosus.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in weakness/fatigue; avoid strong stimulation.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Diarrhea, Knee Pain, Vomiting, Abdominal Pain

Study-reported

Electroacupuncture · 12 sessions over 13 days

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20240924-k0001 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL23, BL25, BL40 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.27879/d.cnki.ggxzy.2024.000079 ↗

Protocol (6 points)

100%

BL23 · BL25 · BL40 · GB34 · GV03 · GV04

BL23Kidney Shu Point

BL23 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 腎俞 (shèn shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV04 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 2nd lumbar vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Diarrhea, Asthma, Tinnitus, Qi Deficiency

BL25Large Intestine Shu Point

BL25 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 大腸俞 (dà cháng shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV03 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 4th lumbar vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Common Cold, Constipation, Abdominal Bloating, Abdominal Pain

BL40Middle Of The Crease

BL40 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 委中 (wěi zhōng)

🎯 Location: Midpoint of the transverse crease of the popliteal fossa between tendons of the biceps femoris and semitendinosus.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in weakness/fatigue; avoid strong stimulation.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Diarrhea, Knee Pain, Vomiting, Abdominal Pain

GB34Yang Mound Spring

GB34 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Gallbladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 陽陵泉 (yáng líng quán)

🎯 Location: In the depression the anterior and inferior to the head of the fibula.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Knee Pain, Jaundice, Constipation, Vomiting

GV03Yang Lumbar Gate

GV03 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 腰陽關 (yāo yáng guān)

🎯 Location: Below spinous process of the 4th lumbar vertebra at the level with iliac crest.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Numbness, Lower Back Pain, Urine White, Benefit Legs, Benefit Back Lumbar

GV04Life Gate

GV04 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 命門 (mìng mén)

🎯 Location: Below spinous process of the 2nd lumbar vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Anxiety, Kidney Deficiency, Dizziness, Tinnitus

Study-reported

Needling + Cupping · 9 sessions over 3 weeks

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20220719-k0003 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL23, BL25, BL40, GV03 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.27879/d.cnki.ggxzy.2024.000079 ↗
Press Needles
54 needles for this course · 1 box, $19.99

Protocol (4 points)

100%

BL23 · BL26 · BL40 · GV03

BL23Kidney Shu Point

BL23 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 腎俞 (shèn shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV04 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 2nd lumbar vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Diarrhea, Asthma, Tinnitus, Qi Deficiency

BL26Original Qi Gate Shu Point

BL26 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 關元俞 (guān yuán shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the du mai at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 5th lumbar vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Constipation, Abdominal Bloating, Lower Back Pain, Bedwetting

BL40Middle Of The Crease

BL40 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 委中 (wěi zhōng)

🎯 Location: Midpoint of the transverse crease of the popliteal fossa between tendons of the biceps femoris and semitendinosus.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in weakness/fatigue; avoid strong stimulation.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Diarrhea, Knee Pain, Vomiting, Abdominal Pain

GV03Yang Lumbar Gate

GV03 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Governing Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 腰陽關 (yāo yáng guān)

🎯 Location: Below spinous process of the 4th lumbar vertebra at the level with iliac crest.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Numbness, Lower Back Pain, Urine White, Benefit Legs, Benefit Back Lumbar

Study-reported

Needling · 4 sessions

Did better than another treatment

Warming-promotion needling arm; the routine-needling control used the same points

Point selection reported in a published study.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL23, BL40, GV03 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.27879/d.cnki.ggxzy.2024.000079 ↗
Press Needles
16 needles for this course · 1 box, $19.99

Protocol (2 points)

90%

BL23 · BL40

BL23Kidney Shu Point

BL23 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 腎俞 (shèn shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV04 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 2nd lumbar vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Diarrhea, Asthma, Tinnitus, Qi Deficiency

BL40Middle Of The Crease

BL40 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 委中 (wěi zhōng)

🎯 Location: Midpoint of the transverse crease of the popliteal fossa between tendons of the biceps femoris and semitendinosus.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in weakness/fatigue; avoid strong stimulation.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Diarrhea, Knee Pain, Vomiting, Abdominal Pain

Text or case report

Point selection recorded in a clinical text or case report.

Wang YY, Yang L, Yang JS, Yang JH, Liu ZB, Chen F, Liu DX, Yuan HG, Wang L. Curative effect of scraping therapies on lumbar muscle strain. J Tradit Chin Med 2013; 33(4): 455-460
Substantiated by a study. BL23, BL40 also appear in a study-reported protocol for the same search. That study did not test this prescription. doi:10.27879/d.cnki.ggxzy.2024.000079 ↗

Protocol (5 points)

90%

BL23 · BL25 · XB02T11 · XB02T7 · XB02T9

BL23Kidney Shu Point

BL23 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 腎俞 (shèn shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV04 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 2nd lumbar vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Diarrhea, Asthma, Tinnitus, Qi Deficiency

BL25Large Intestine Shu Point

BL25 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 大腸俞 (dà cháng shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV03 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 4th lumbar vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Common Cold, Constipation, Abdominal Bloating, Abdominal Pain

XB02T11Hua Tuo's Para-Vertebral Point - T11

XB02T11 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Extra Points: Back

🇨🇳 Chinese: 華佗夾脊 (huà tuó jiā jǐ)

🎯 Location: 0.5 - 1 thumb width lateral to the depressions below the spinous processes of the twelve thoracic vertebrae & five lumbar vertebrae in the clinical practice the points located 0.5 - 1 thumb width lateral to the depressions below the spinous processes of the seven cervical vertebra are also used as additional huatuojiaji points.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling; risk of pneumothorax.

🛡️ Treats: Qi Stagnation, Circulation Blood, Spleen Disorder, Stomach Disorder, Regulate Six Fu

XB02T7Hua Tuo's Para-Vertebral Point - T7

XB02T7 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Extra Points: Back

🇨🇳 Chinese: 華佗夾脊 (huà tuó jiā jǐ)

🎯 Location: 0.5 - 1 thumb width lateral to the depressions below the spinous processes of the twelve thoracic vertebrae & five lumbar vertebrae in the clinical practice the points located 0.5 - 1 thumb width lateral to the depressions below the spinous processes of the seven cervical vertebra are also used as additional huatuojiaji points.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling; risk of pneumothorax.

🛡️ Treats: Qi Stagnation, Heart Disorder, Circulation Blood, Liver Disorder, Gallbladder Disorder

XB02T9Hua Tuo's Para-Vertebral Point - T9

XB02T9 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Extra Points: Back

🇨🇳 Chinese: 華佗夾脊 (huà tuó jiā jǐ)

🎯 Location: 0.5 - 1 thumb width lateral to the depressions below the spinous processes of the twelve thoracic vertebrae & five lumbar vertebrae in the clinical practice the points located 0.5 - 1 thumb width lateral to the depressions below the spinous processes of the seven cervical vertebra are also used as additional huatuojiaji points.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling; risk of pneumothorax.

🛡️ Treats: Qi Stagnation, Circulation Blood, Liver Disorder, Gallbladder Disorder, Regulate Six Fu

Text or case report

Needling + Moxibustion · 10 sessions

Same patient; prescription changed for a later course

Point selection recorded in a clinical text or case report.

Chen Jirui, Nissi Wang (eds). Acupuncture Case Histories from China. Seattle: Eastland Press, 1988
Substantiated by a study. BL23, BL25 also appear in a study-reported protocol for the same search. That study did not test this prescription. doi:10.27879/d.cnki.ggxzy.2024.000079 ↗
Press Needles
50 needles for this course · 1 box, $19.99
AcuiQ Self-Treatment Guide
Acupressure you can do at home, every protocol traced to a trial. – $12.99, free updates for life

Related symptoms

Often treated alongside Lumbar Muscle Strain:

Points cited for Lumbar Muscle Strain

How often each point appears across the 6 entries ranked highest for Lumbar Muscle Strain. Citation frequency, not a recommendation.

  • BL23Kidney Shu PointBladder Meridian6 of 6
  • BL40Middle Of The CreaseBladder Meridian5 of 6
  • BL25Large Intestine Shu PointBladder Meridian4 of 6
  • GV03Yang Lumbar GateGoverning Vessel3 of 6
  • BL17Diaphragm Shu PointBladder Meridian1 of 6
  • BL26Original Qi Gate Shu PointBladder Meridian1 of 6
  • GB34Yang Mound SpringGallbladder Meridian1 of 6
  • GV04Life GateGoverning Vessel1 of 6
  • XB02T11Hua Tuo's Para-Vertebral Point - T11Extra Points: Back1 of 6
  • XB02T7Hua Tuo's Para-Vertebral Point - T7Extra Points: Back1 of 6
  • XB02T9Hua Tuo's Para-Vertebral Point - T9Extra Points: Back1 of 6

How the studies delivered it

What the 4 studies behind the entries above ran, counted once per study. A record of the trials, not a recommendation.

  • Needling2 of 4
  • Electroacupuncture1 of 4
  • Cupping1 of 4

Sessions: the 3 studies that gave a count ran a median of 9 (middle half 7 to 11).

After a treatment: what large safety surveys recorded, and which reactions need a doctor.

Disclaimer: The acupoint information provided is for educational purposes only.