Cleft point.

bubble_chart Etymology

"Liang" (梁), a crossbar, refers to the base of patella; "qiu" (丘), a high protrusion. The point is located on the bulge of quadriceps muscle above knee patella, hence its name.

bubble_chart Location

Liangqiu (ST34) acupoint
(adapted from "Meridians and Acupoints")

In the front of thigh, when knee is bent, along the line connecting anterior superior iliac spine and outer side of lower edge of patella, 2 cun above patella. When knee is straightened, it is located in the depression between rectus femoris and vastus lateralis.

• Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing: "2 cun above knee";
• Zhenfang Liuji: "2 cun away from knee";
• Xunjing Kaoxue Bian: "When knee is bent, it is in the deepest depression above patella."

bubble_chart Anatomy

• Muscle: between rectus femoris and vastus lateralis.
• Nerve: anterior cutaneous branch of femoral nerve, lateral femoral cutaneous nerve.
• Vessel: descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery.

bubble_chart Manipulation

Perpendicular insertion 0.5~1 cun. Moxibustion with moxa cone 3 ~ 5 rounds, moxibustion with moxa stick 5 ~ 10 minutes.

bubble_chart Efficacy

Promote flow of stomach qi, harmonizing middle and descending adverse qi, expel wind and resolve dampness.

• Classical: knee pain, difficulty in flexion and extension, crane knee wind, pain in waist and feet, cold Bi syndrome and numbness, breast swelling and pain.
• Modern: gastritis, mastitis, knee arthritis, lateral femoral cutaneous neuritis.

bubble_chart Combinations

• Muscle spasms, inability to flex and extend knee, inability to walk: Liangqiu (ST34), Ququan (LR8), Yangguan.
• Breast swelling: Liangqiu (ST34), Diwuhui (GB42).
• Crane knee wind: Liangqiu (ST34), Kuangu (EX-LE1), Yanglingquan (GB34), Sanyinjiao ( SP6).
• Gastritis: Liangqiu (ST34), Zhongwan (CV12), Neiguan (PC6).
• Knee joint pain: Liangqiu (ST34), Dubi (ST35), Yanglingquan (GB34), Xiyangguan (GB33), Yinlingquan (SP9).