Kidney Meridian
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KI-10
Water-Shui
Sea-He Point
Needle Depth
0.8–1.5 cun
Needle Angle
90° (Perpendicular)
Body Area
Knee
Location
On the medial side of the popliteal fossa, level with Weizhong BL-40, between the tendons of semitendinosus and semimenbranosus muscle when the knee is flexed.
Main Actions
- Resolves Dampness from the Lower Burner
- Nourishes Kidney Yin
Indications
Commentary
Yingu KID-10 has two major functions.
First of all, it resolves Dampness from the Lower Burner, like the other two Sea-He points around the knee: Yinlingquan SP-9 and Ququan LIV-8. Typical symptoms are urinary or abdominal disorders such as hypogastric pain and fullness, abdominal distension and pain, difficult urination, turbid urine as well as painful urination.
The point is also often used to nourish Kidney Yin. Typical manifestations include backache, tinnitus, deafness, night sweating, dark urine and dry throat.
Zhaohai KI-6 and Zhubin KID-9 also deal with Kidney Yin Deficiency. However, KID-6 is more focused on moistening the Dryness while KID-9 is more on treating mental emotional issues such as anxiety and insomnia. All above symptoms are the consequences of Kidney Yin Deficiency.
Classical Sources
Língshū (《灵枢》) - The Spiritual Pivot: First records this point in the chapter "Běn Shū" (本输), establishing Yīngǔ as the Sea-He point of the Kidney channel.
Name Interpretation: "Yīn" (阴) refers to the yin-natured water-dampness quality, while "gǔ" (谷) means "valley" - a meeting place of flesh, like a depression between two mountains. The point is named for its location at the medial knee where Kidney channel qi gathers like water collecting in a valley.
How to Locate
Flex the knee at less than 90° and press the heel against the floor to reveal the tendons of the semimembranosus and semitendinosus muscles in the popliteal crease. Locate Yingu KID-10 in a small gap between the more prominent tendon of the semitendinosus muscle and the less obvious tendon of the semimembranosus muscle.
Caution
Avoid puncturing the semitendinosus and semimembranosus tendons. The popliteal artery and vein run deeper in this region - maintain proper perpendicular needle angle and moderate depth. The area contains the medial superior genicular artery and vein, as well as the medial femoral cutaneous nerve.
Needle Angle
90° (Perpendicular)
Depth Category
Medium
Standard Depth
0.8–1.5 cun
Needling Directions
Needle 1–1.5 cun vertically from a dorsomedial aspect towards the tibial tuberosity. Avoid puncturing the tendon.
Expected Deqi Sensation
Soreness and distension locally at the medial knee, with possible electric or tingling sensation radiating toward the popliteal fossa and down to the foot.
Moxibustion
Recommended
Duration: 5–10 minutes
Cupping
Questionable
Bloodletting
Questionable
Gua Sha
Questionable
Five Element & Transporting Classification
Five Phase
Water-Shui
Transporting Type
Sea-He Point
Mother-Child Role
Child (Reducing)
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