Acupuncture Points for Shoulder Dysfunction

1 sourced protocol, each with its citation.

AcuiQ posts on X about the papers it indexes. Follow @acu_iq

Points cited for Shoulder Dysfunction

How often each point appears across the 3 entries ranked highest for Shoulder Dysfunction. Citation frequency, not a recommendation.

  • LI04Junction ValleyLarge Intestine Meridian2 of 3
  • LI15Shoulder And ClavicleLarge Intestine Meridian2 of 3
  • BL60Kunlun (Mountains)Bladder Meridian1 of 3
  • CV03Central PivotConception Vessel1 of 3
  • GB21Shoulder WellGallbladder Meridian1 of 3
  • KD07Returning FlowKidney Meridian1 of 3
  • LI11Pond At The BendLarge Intestine Meridian1 of 3
  • LI16Great BoneLarge Intestine Meridian1 of 3
  • LU05Cubit MarshLung Meridian1 of 3
  • LV03Great SurgeLiver Meridian1 of 3
  • SI09True ShoulderSmall Intestine Meridian1 of 3
  • SI10Upper Arm Shu PointSmall Intestine Meridian1 of 3

Each card names its evidence kind. What these labels mean

Protocol (11 points)

100%

LU05 · LI04 · LI15 · ST36 · ST38 · SP09 · BL60 · KD07 · GB21 · LV03 · CV03

Point 1 of 11

LU05Cubit Marsh

LU05 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Lung Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 尺澤 (chǐ zé)

🎯 Location: On the cubital crease in the depression of the radial side of the biceps brachii tendon; point is located with elbow slightly flexed.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid in cases of severe vascular disease; caution with depth at cubital fossa.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Diarrhea, Shortness of Breath, Asthma, Knee Pain

LI04Junction Valley

LI04 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Large Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 合谷 (hé gǔ)

🎯 Location: On the dorsum of the hand between 1st & 2nd metacarpal bones approximately in the middle of the 2nd metacarpal bone on the radial side.

⚠️ Cautions: Traditionally forbidden in pregnancy – these are the points used to bring on labour at term. Controlled data show no excess of preterm birth or stillbirth (Carr 2015), but in pregnancy needle only on a clear obstetric indication.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Tinnitus, Release Exterior, Absent Periods, Wind

LI15Shoulder And Clavicle

LI15 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Large Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 肩髃 (jiān yú)

🎯 Location: Anteroinferior to the acromion on the upper portion of the deltoid muscle; when arm is in the full abduction the point is in the depression the appearing at the anterior border of the acromioclavicular joint.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling due to risk of pneumothorax; caution in shoulder injuries.

🛡️ Treats: Wind, Shoulder Pain, Pain, Goiter, Hemiplegia

ST36Leg Three Miles

ST36 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Stomach Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 足三里 (zú sān lǐ)

🎯 Location: 3 thumb widths below ST35, 1 finger breadth (middle finger) from anterior border of the tibia.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution in cases of severe varicose veins.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Fever, Poor Appetite, Diarrhea, Shortness of Breath

ST38Ribbon Opening

ST38 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Stomach Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 條口 (tiáo kǒu)

🎯 Location: 8 thumb widths below ST35, 1 finger breadth (middle finger) from anterior border of the tibia.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Common Cold, Abdominal Pain, Numbness, Swelling, Pain

SP09Yin Mound Spring

SP09 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Spleen Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 陰陵泉 (yīn líng quán)

🎯 Location: On the lower border of the medial condyle of the tibia in the depression the posterior and inferior to the medial condyle of the tibia.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid in cases of knee inflammation.

🛡️ Treats: Heat Chest, Fever, Diarrhea, Shortness of Breath, Jaundice

BL60Kunlun (Mountains)

BL60 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 崑崙 (kūn lún)

🎯 Location: In the depression the between tip of the external malleolus and achilles tendon.

⚠️ Cautions: Traditionally forbidden in pregnancy – these are the points used to bring on labour at term. Controlled data show no excess of preterm birth or stillbirth (Carr 2015), but in pregnancy needle only on a clear obstetric indication.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Shortness of Breath, Heat, Chest Fullness, Abdominal Pain

KD07Returning Flow

KD07 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Kidney Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 復溜 (fù liū)

🎯 Location: 2 thumb widths directly above the KD03 on the anterior border of the achilles tendon.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Chest Fullness, Damp, Edema, Cough Pus

GB21Shoulder Well

GB21 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Gallbladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 肩井 (jiān jǐng)

🎯 Location: On the shoulder directly above the nipple at the midpoint of the line connecting GV14 and acromion the at the highest point of the shoulder.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep needling – risk of pneumothorax. Traditionally forbidden in pregnancy – these are the points used to bring on labour at term. Controlled data show no excess of preterm birth or stillbirth (Carr 2015), but in pregnancy needle only on a clear obstetric indication.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Shortness of Breath, Phlegm, Kidney Deficiency, Depression

LV03Great Surge

LV03 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Liver Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 太衝 (tài chōng)

🎯 Location: On the dorsum of the foot in the depression the distal to the junction of the 1st and 2nd metatarsal bones.

⚠️ Cautions: Monitor blood pressure and avoid strong stimulation where hypertension is uncontrolled or unstable; hypertensive crisis is a medical emergency.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Diarrhea, Anxiety, Shortness of Breath, Sweating

CV03Central Pivot

CV03 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Conception Vessel

🇨🇳 Chinese: 中極 (zhōng jí)

🎯 Location: On the anterior midline 4 thumb widths below umbilicus.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid needling over the gravid uterus after the first trimester; where used in pregnancy, needle shallowly and only on a clear obstetric indication. Empty the bladder before needling.

🛡️ Treats: Absent Periods, Back Pain, Pain, Damp, Edema

Study-reported

Needling · 10 sessions over 10 weeks

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.31557/APJCP.2025.26.3.799 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. LI15 also appears in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000046638 ↗

Protocol (8 points)

76%

LI15 · LI16 · SI09 · SI10 · SI11 · SI12 · SI13 · TB14

Point 1 of 8

LI15Shoulder And Clavicle

LI15 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Large Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 肩髃 (jiān yú)

🎯 Location: Anteroinferior to the acromion on the upper portion of the deltoid muscle; when arm is in the full abduction the point is in the depression the appearing at the anterior border of the acromioclavicular joint.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling due to risk of pneumothorax; caution in shoulder injuries.

🛡️ Treats: Wind, Shoulder Pain, Pain, Goiter, Hemiplegia

LI16Great Bone

LI16 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Large Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 巨骨 (jù gǔ)

🎯 Location: In the upper aspect of the shoulder in the depression the between acromial extremity of the clavicle and scapular spine.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling due to risk of pneumothorax.

🛡️ Treats: Back Pain, Shoulder Pain, Pain, Epilepsy, Goiter

SI09True Shoulder

SI09 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Small Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 肩貞 (jiān zhēn)

🎯 Location: Posterior and inferior to the shoulder joint; when arm is adducted point is 1 thumb width above the posterior end of the axillary fold.

⚠️ Cautions: Rule out fracture, dislocation and joint instability before needling, and do not needle into an acutely swollen joint or a haemarthrosis.

🛡️ Treats: Tinnitus, Wind, Numbness, Shoulder Blade Pain, Shoulder Pain

SI10Upper Arm Shu Point

SI10 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Small Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 臑俞 (nào shū)

🎯 Location: When arm is adducted, point is directly above the posterior end of the axillary fold in the depression the inferior to the scapular spine.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Shoulder Pain, Pain, Chills, Arm Pain

SI11Heavenly Gathering

SI11 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Small Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 天宗 (tiān zōng)

🎯 Location: On the scapula in the depression of the center of the subscapular fossa and at the level of the 4th thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Rule out fracture, dislocation and joint instability before needling, and do not needle into an acutely swollen joint or a haemarthrosis.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Qi Stagnation, Chest Fullness, Elbow Pain, Shoulder Blade Pain

SI12Grasping The Wind

SI12 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Small Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 秉風 (bǐng fēng)

🎯 Location: In the center of the suprascapular fossa directly above the SI11; when arm is lifted point is at the site of the depression.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Wind, Benefit Shoulders, Benefit Scapula, Benefit Shoulders, Benefit Scapula

SI13Crooked Wall

SI13 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Small Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 曲垣 (qū yuán)

🎯 Location: On the medial extremity of the suprascapular fossa about midway between SI10 and spinous process of the 2nd thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Shoulder Pain, Contraction Shoulder, Benefit Shoulders, Benefit Scapula, Oppression Shoulder Sensation

TB14Shoulder Bone Hole

TB14 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Triple Burner Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 肩髎 (jiān liáo)

🎯 Location: On the shoulder posterior to the LI15 in the depression the inferior and posterior to the acromion the when arm is abducted.

⚠️ Cautions: Rule out fracture, dislocation and joint instability before needling, and do not needle into an acutely swollen joint or a haemarthrosis.

🛡️ Treats: Numbness, Shoulder Pain, Pain, Arm Pain, Benefit Shoulders

Study-reported

Thread embedding · 8 sessions over 8 weeks

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000046638 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. LI15 also appears in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.31557/APJCP.2025.26.3.799 ↗

Protocol (3 points)

76%

LI04 · LI11 · TB05

Point 1 of 3

LI04Junction Valley

LI04 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Large Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 合谷 (hé gǔ)

🎯 Location: On the dorsum of the hand between 1st & 2nd metacarpal bones approximately in the middle of the 2nd metacarpal bone on the radial side.

⚠️ Cautions: Traditionally forbidden in pregnancy – these are the points used to bring on labour at term. Controlled data show no excess of preterm birth or stillbirth (Carr 2015), but in pregnancy needle only on a clear obstetric indication.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Tinnitus, Release Exterior, Absent Periods, Wind

LI11Pond At The Bend

LI11 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Large Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 曲池 (qū chí)

🎯 Location: When elbow is flexed point is in the depression the at the lateral end of the transverse cubital crease midway between LU05 and lateral epicondyle of the humerus.

⚠️ Cautions: Monitor blood pressure and avoid strong stimulation where hypertension is uncontrolled or unstable; hypertensive crisis is a medical emergency. Avoid excessive stimulation in weak patients.

🛡️ Treats: Diarrhea, Dizziness, Heat, Vomiting, Abdominal Bloating

TB05Outer Gate

TB05 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Triple Burner Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 外關 (wài guān)

🎯 Location: 2 thumb widths proximal to the dorsal crease of the wrist on the line connecting TB04 and tip of the olecranon the between radius and ulna.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

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

Study-reported

Electroacupuncture · 14 sessions over 2 weeks

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.2019.05.004 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. LI04 also appears in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.31557/APJCP.2025.26.3.799 ↗
Hot Spots™ Press Needles
Sterile 1.5mm press needles on 3M backing tape · 100 per box
$19.99
per box · choose the quantity at checkout
AcuiQ Self-Treatment Guide
Acupressure you can do at home, every protocol traced to a trial. – $12.99, free updates for life

How the studies delivered it

What the 3 studies behind the entries above ran, counted once per study. A record of the trials, not a recommendation.

  • Needling1 of 3
  • Thread embedding1 of 3
  • Electroacupuncture1 of 3

Sessions: the 3 studies that gave a count ran a median of 10 (middle half 9 to 12).

Course: the 3 studies that gave a length ran a median of 8 weeks (middle half 5 weeks to 9 weeks).

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

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