Pathway

It begins in the three middle toes, crosses the entire dorsum of the foot and inserts at the instep (ST-41). From ST-41 it branches:

One branch ascends along the tibial crest, through the anterior tibial muscle, and inserts below the knee. From there there is a small branch that goes to the side of the knee. It goes up the thigh until it inserts at the groin fold. From there it goes toward CV-2 and CV-3, and ascends through the abdominal muscles approximately at the side of the umbilicus and goes up the thorax to the supraclavicular fossa ST-12. Ascends in front of the neck to the angle of the mandible.

From the mandible, it trifurcates:

• Connects all the muscles of the lips
• Goes to the cheek and connects at SI-18 with other muscle channels of the foot, and ends at the lower eyelid.
• Ascends in front of the ear to the zygomatic arch

From ST-41, another branch ascends on the anterolateral side of the leg, in front of the fibula (pathway of VB) and inserts on the lateral aspect of the knee. Ascends along the anterolateral border of the thigh. It inserts at the end of the groin fold (near GB-29). From the hip it branches:

• Toward GB-30
• Ascends along the sides of the abdomen and distributes to the lower ribs toward the spine.

Symptoms

• Rigidity, pain, tightness or contractures along the pathway
• Equinus foot
• Facial paralysis
• Cannot open (heat) or close (cold) the eye
• At pubic level: inguinal hernias.