"Jian" (肩), shoulder; "liao" (髎), bone hollow or space. The acupoint is located on shoulder, and a depression appears when arm is raised, hence the name.

bubble_chart Location

Jianliao (TE14) acupoint
(adapted from "Meridians and Acupoints")

Located on the upper part of deltoid muscle at the back of shoulder, posterior and inferior to acromion. A depression forms when arm is raised and abducted, approximately one cun posterior to Jianyu (LI15).

• Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing: "On the upper part of shoulder, obtained by raising arm diagonally";
• Xunjing Kaoxue Bian : "Above Naohui (TE13), a hollow forms when arm is raised";
• Zhenjiu Jicheng: "1.3 cun posterior to Jianyu (LI15), slightly lower".

bubble_chart Anatomy

• Muscles: posterior part of deltoid, teres minor, teres major, latissimus dorsi tendon.
• Nerves: lateral brachial cutaneous nerve, lateral supraclavicular nerve, muscular branch of axillary nerve.
• Vessels: posterior circumflex humeral artery and vein.

bubble_chart Manipulation

Insert perpendicularly or obliquely downward toward arm, 1 ~ 1.5 cun in depth. Moxibustion with moxa cone 3 to 7 rounds, moxibustion with moxa stick for 5 to 15 minutes.

bubble_chart Efficacy

• Classical: heaviness in shoulder with inability to lift, arm pain, hemiplegia due to stroke.
• Modern: periarthritis of shoulder.

bubble_chart Combinations

• Arm pain: Jianliao (TE14), Tianzong (SI11), Yanggu (SI5).
• Periarthritis of shoulder: Jianliao (TE14), Tiaokou (ST38).