LI-13 - Arm Five Miles

手五里 - Shǒu wǔ lǐ

Point Region: Upper arm

LI

Large Intestine Meridian

手阳明大肠经 - Shǒu Yángmíng Dàcháng Jīng

Location & How to Find

Anatomical Location: On the outer side of the upper arm, on the line from LI-11 to LI-15, 3 cun above the elbow crease.

Distances are in cun, a unit that scales with each person's body. As a guide, the width of your thumb at its joint is 1 cun, and your four fingers held together, measured across the middle joints, are 3 cun.

How to Locate:

  1. Find LI-11 at the outer end of the elbow crease
  2. Measure four finger-widths up the line toward the front hollow of the shoulder (LI-15)
  3. The point is on that line
LI-13 (Arm Five Miles) acupressure point location: On the outer side of the upper arm, on the line from LI-11 to LI-15, 3 cun above the elbow crease.

How to Apply Pressure

Having located LI-13, apply light to moderate fingertip pressure that stays comfortable. Do not press after recent arm surgery, an arm fracture, or a severe shoulder injury, and stop if pain increases.

Traditional Indications

In TCM, this point is traditionally used for:

  • Arm pain
  • Shoulder stiffness
  • Shoulder pain
  • Arm weakness
  • Joint stiffness
  • Movement problems

Related Health Concerns

Neck and Shoulder PainFatigue

Select a point to see its location, how to find it, and its traditional uses.

Important Precautions

Avoid this point with:

  • Recent arm surgery
  • Severe shoulder injury
  • Acute arm fracture