"Jian" (肩), shoulder; "zhen" (貞), upright or correct. The acupoint is located at the end of posterior shoulder crease, in the center of back of shoulder, hence the name.

bubble_chart Location

Jianzhen (SI9) acupoint
(adapted from "Meridians and Acupoints")

On the posterior and inferior side of shoulder joint, 1 cun above the end of posterior axillary crease when arm is adducted.

• Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing: "Below shoulder blade at the junction of two bones, in the depression behind Jianyu (LI15) is in the posterior depression";
• Suwen's straight explanation: "In the crevice of shoulder blade bone";
• Zhenjiu Jicheng: "Below the straight Jugu (LI16), 6 cun apart, slightly less than 8 cun lateral to spine, directly below axillary crease".

bubble_chart Anatomy

• Muscles: the superficial part is the posterior part of deltoid muscle and long head of triceps brachii, and the deep part is teres major muscle and latissimus dorsi tendon.
• Nerves: lateral brachial epithelial nerve and second and third intercostal nerves, with radial nerve above the deep layer.
• Vessels: circumflex scapular artery and vein.

bubble_chart Manipulation

Perpendicular or upward oblique insertion at an angle of 70° is 1 to 2 cun. Deep insertion toward the medial side is not recommended. Moxibustion with moxa cone 3 to 7 rounds, moxibustion with moxa stick for 10 to 15 minutes.

bubble_chart Efficacy

• Classical: cold injury with fever and chills, jaw swelling, shoulder blade pain, arm pain and inability to lift, tinnitus and deafness, pain in the supraclavicular fossa, toothache, heat and pain in shoulder, numbness and inability to lift hands and feet.
• Modern: Upper limb paralysis, axillary sweating, scapulohumeral periarthritis.

bubble_chart Combinations

• Tinnitus and hearing loss: Jianzhen (SI9), Wangu (SI4).
• Heat in shoulder and inability to turn head: Jianzhen (SI9), Guanchong (TE1), Jianyu (LI15).
• Shoulder arthritis: Jianzhen (SI9), Jianyu (LI15), Jianliao (TE14).