Liver 7: Xiguan – Knee Border

OK – so this point, Liver 7 Xiguan Knee Border or Gate, may not be the most important point on your Liver Channel but it still has its uses.

Location of Liver 7 Xiguan

I know of three ways of describing the location of Liver 7:

1. On the medial surface of the leg, 12 cun above the medial malleolus, posterior to the tibia
2. 2 cun below Spleen 9, one cun posterior to the inner edge of the tibia, between 2 muscles
3. I cun posterior to Spleen 9

Each of these locations points you to a slightly different place although the first and third are pretty close to one another. I prefer the third, mainly because that is where it is often sore on palpation and it seems to do the job.

Needling Liver 7

Needle this vertically to the skin surface, to a depth of up to 1 cun: then angle it up the leg a little or towards the area of need.

Needle sensation

Depending on which direction the needle points after insertion and angling it, the sensation at Liver 7 may be felt in the calf, the knee or upwards, though I find this point hard to direct Qi from up the channel.

Probably someone with superior technique would be able to do it – but someone with superior technique might choose another, easier, point!

Moxibustion on Xiguan

Moxa up to 5 cones.

Actions of Liver 7

• Resolves Wind and Damp, especially from the knee
• Useful for many knee problems, including from inflammation and from weakness

Symptoms for which this point might be appropriate include:

• Knee pain 
• Knee stiffness – hard to bend or straighten
• Swelling around the knee
• Numbness in the knee
• Pain in the calf or medial surface of the leg
• Pain in the throat

Comment on Liver 7

Xiguan is mostly used for pain and discomfort near the point. However, like many points around or inferior to the knee, it has uses elsewhere.

There is no reason why this point should not also benefit other places ‘ruled’ by or along the channel of the Liver, such as the abdomen, hypochondria and, as you see, it is known to benefit the throat.

What kind of throat problem might it most help with? Probably the plum-stone sensation, being the feeling of your throat being obstructed by a plum-stone, which usually occurs when emotionally upset or challenged.

I think, also, that because the point is so beneficial for the knee, which is ‘ruled’ by the Kidney energy, that this point might be good for dryness and a sensation of constriction arising from Kidney Yin deficiency.

Click here to find out about the Liver’s functions in Chinese medicine

Click to find out about the liver organ in WESTERN medicine

For points along the Liver channel, click below: