ST-38 - Ribbon Opening

条口 - Tiáo kǒu

Point Region: Lower leg

ST

Stomach Meridian

足阳明胃经 - Zú Yángmíng Wèi Jīng

Location & How to Find

Anatomical Location: On the front of the lower leg, on the line from ST-35 to ST-41, 8 cun below ST-35, on the tibialis anterior muscle. It is level with ST-40.

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 ST-36, four finger-widths below ST-35
  2. Measure four finger-widths plus two thumb-widths further down the same line
  3. The point is there, on the muscle just outside the shin bone
ST-38 (Ribbon Opening) acupressure point location: On the front of the lower leg, on the line from ST-35 to ST-41, 8 cun below ST-35, on the tibialis anterior muscle.

How to Apply Pressure

When you have located ST-38, relax your leg and apply gentle fingertip pressure on the muscle beside the shin bone, stopping if it hurts. Avoid it after recent leg surgery, with a leg fracture, or over acute muscle tears.

Traditional Indications

In TCM, this point is traditionally used for:

  • Shoulder pain
  • Leg weakness
  • Limb numbness
  • Difficulty standing
  • Difficulty walking
  • Arm pain
  • Leg pain
  • Motor 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 leg surgery
  • Severe leg fracture
  • Acute muscle tears