Acupuncture Points for Stiffness Lumbar

6 sourced protocols, each with its citation.

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

Points cited for Stiffness Lumbar

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

  • BL23Kidney Shu PointBladder Meridian3 of 6
  • BL25Large Intestine Shu PointBladder Meridian3 of 6
  • BL40Middle Of The CreaseBladder Meridian3 of 6
  • BL60Kunlun (Mountains)Bladder Meridian3 of 6
  • GB34Yang Mound SpringGallbladder Meridian3 of 6
  • AH03LumbarAuricular Points2 of 6
  • AT12Nervous SubcortexAuricular Points2 of 6
  • BL20Spleen Shu PointBladder Meridian2 of 6
  • GB30Jumping CircleGallbladder Meridian2 of 6
  • GV03Yang Lumbar GateGoverning Vessel2 of 6
  • GV04Life GateGoverning Vessel2 of 6
  • TF10ShenmenAuricular Points2 of 6

Each card names its evidence kind. What these labels mean

Protocol (9 points)

100%

BL20 · BL23 · BL25 · BL40 · BL60 · GB30 · GB34 · GV03 · GV04

Point 1 of 9

BL20Spleen Shu Point

BL20 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 脾俞 (pí shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV06 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 11th thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Fever, Poor Appetite, Diarrhea, Spleen Qi Deficiency

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

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

GB30Jumping Circle

GB30 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Gallbladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 環跳 (huán tiào)

🎯 Location: At the junction of the lateral ⅓ and medial ⅔ of the distance between prominence of the greater trochanter and hiatus of the sacrum, GV02; when locating point put patient in the lateral recumbent position the with thigh flexed.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution with sciatic nerve.

🛡️ Treats: Knee Pain, Back Pain, Leg Pain, Hip Pain, 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

Thread embedding

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1016/j.imr.2025.101180 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL23, BL25, BL60, GB34 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.0255-2930.20250228-0001 ↗

Protocol (12 points)

100%

BL20 · BL23 · BL25 · BL40 · BL60 · GB30 · GB34 · GV03 · GV04 · AH03 · AT12 · TF10

Point 1 of 12

BL20Spleen Shu Point

BL20 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Bladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 脾俞 (pí shū)

🎯 Location: 1.5 thumb widths lateral to the GV06 at the level of the lower border of the spinous process of the 11th thoracic vertebra.

⚠️ Cautions: Avoid deep perpendicular needling.

🛡️ Treats: Cough, Fever, Poor Appetite, Diarrhea, Spleen Qi Deficiency

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

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

GB30Jumping Circle

GB30 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Gallbladder Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 環跳 (huán tiào)

🎯 Location: At the junction of the lateral ⅓ and medial ⅔ of the distance between prominence of the greater trochanter and hiatus of the sacrum, GV02; when locating point put patient in the lateral recumbent position the with thigh flexed.

⚠️ Cautions: Caution with sciatic nerve.

🛡️ Treats: Knee Pain, Back Pain, Leg Pain, Hip Pain, 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

AH03Lumbar

AH03 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

🗺️ Meridian: Auricular Points

🇨🇳 Chinese: 腰 (yāo)

🎯 Location: At the upper 2/5 part of the midline of the Antihelix

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Lumbago Caused By Various Reasons

AT12Nervous Subcortex

AT12 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

🗺️ Meridian: Auricular Points

🇨🇳 Chinese: 神經皮質下 (shén jīng pí zhì xià)

🎯 Location: On both ears, at the lower 1/2 of the interior wall of the Antitragus; in the midpoint between Thalamus and the beginning of the medial lower line of the interior Antitragus.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Neurosis, Schizophrenia

TF10Shenmen

TF10 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

🗺️ Meridian: Auricular Points

🇨🇳 Chinese: 神門 (shén mén)

🎯 Location: At the midpoint between Pelvis and Hepatitis.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Pain, Inflammation, Restless Spirit, Emotional And Mental Disorders

Study-reported

Thread embedding + Press needles

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1016/j.imr.2025.101180 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL23, BL25, BL60, GB34 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.0255-2930.20250228-0001 ↗

Protocol (3 points)

100%

AH03 · AT12 · TF10

Point 1 of 3

AH03Lumbar

AH03 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

🗺️ Meridian: Auricular Points

🇨🇳 Chinese: 腰 (yāo)

🎯 Location: At the upper 2/5 part of the midline of the Antihelix

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Lumbago Caused By Various Reasons

AT12Nervous Subcortex

AT12 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

🗺️ Meridian: Auricular Points

🇨🇳 Chinese: 神經皮質下 (shén jīng pí zhì xià)

🎯 Location: On both ears, at the lower 1/2 of the interior wall of the Antitragus; in the midpoint between Thalamus and the beginning of the medial lower line of the interior Antitragus.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Neurosis, Schizophrenia

TF10Shenmen

TF10 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

🗺️ Meridian: Auricular Points

🇨🇳 Chinese: 神門 (shén mén)

🎯 Location: At the midpoint between Pelvis and Hepatitis.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Pain, Inflammation, Restless Spirit, Emotional And Mental Disorders

Study-reported

Press needles

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.1016/j.imr.2025.101180 ↗
Not corroborated. No other study in the index uses any of these points for this search.

Protocol (4 points)

100%

BL23 · BL25 · BL60 · GB34

Point 1 of 4

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

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

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

Study-reported

Needling + Moxibustion · 28 sessions over 4 weeks

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.13703/j.0255-2930.20250228-0001 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL23, BL25, BL60, GB34 also appear in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1016/j.imr.2025.101180 ↗

Single-point entry

100%

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

Point selection reported in a published study.

doi:10.27465/d.cnki.gzzyc.2024.000642 ↗
Corroborated by a second study. BL40 also appears in another study-reported protocol for the same search. A second publication is not necessarily a second research group. doi:10.1016/j.imr.2025.101180 ↗

Single-point entry

90%

SI03Back Stream

SI03 acupoint
Click to enlarge

Click to view all layers

🗺️ Meridian: Small Intestine Meridian

🇨🇳 Chinese: 後谿 (hòu xī)

🎯 Location: When loose fist is made point is on the ulnar end of the distal palmar crease proximal to the 5th metacarpophalangeal joint at the end of the transverse crease and junction of the red and white skin.

⚠️ Cautions: No specific contraindications.

🛡️ Treats: Fever, Knee Pain, Tinnitus, Jaundice, Common Cold

Text or case report

Point selection recorded in a clinical text or case report.

Fan Yuanzhi, Wu Yaochi. Effect of electroacupuncture on muscle state and infrared thermogram changes in patients with acute lumbar muscle sprain. J Tradit Chin Med, 2015, 35(5): 499-506
Not substantiated. Studies in the index cover this search, and none of their protocols use any of these points.
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.

  • Thread embedding1 of 3
  • Needling1 of 3
  • Moxibustion1 of 3

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

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