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Acupuncture Treatment of the

Taiyang 经 Jīng 筋 Jin:

the Posterior Myofascial Tract

Anthony Von der Muhll, L.Ac., DAOM, DNBAO, FAIPM

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AOM ⇒ AIM, TEAHM

“Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine”

“Traditional East Asian Herbal Medicine”

“Oriental” (as in “Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AOM)) has both historical and contemporary pejorative and racist uses by Euro-American colonialists in the Far East.
Many US-based medical organizations (including AOM Professional) have historically used “Oriental” and “AOM” as standard terminology without ill intent, but now recognize that they must be replaced by terms intended to better describe without offending.
In the absence of broadly-recognized alternative, I have decided to begin replacing “AOM” with “AIM” & “TEAM” in class notes to describe modalities (including acupuncture, cupping, gua sha, tui na, and herbal medicine) that originated in or were developed into distinctive forms in China, and elaborated into diverse styles in Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, before the arrival of medical modalities originating in the West.
I am monitoring discussions about appropriate terminology before beginning the process of changing my business name, as such a change is resource-intensive and would affect website domain names, webpage URLs, social media accounts, email addresses, etc., potentially inhibiting student access to courses for an uncertain period of time..
I invite feedback and commentary on this issue, and offer my apologies to anyone I have unintentionally offended by use of “AOM,” and thank all for their patience with the process of making such changes.

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My Journey to Teaching this Material

Worked as sports massage therapist, physical therapy aide, and athletic training assistant, 1998-2005
Graduated from Five Branches University, (FBU), California w/MTCM & licensed in 2003; 1st grad of FBUs’ Sports Medicine Certification Program. Supervised in FBU’s Sports Medicine clinic 2005-2018
Founded Santa Cruz Acupuncture Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Clinic in 2003; continuous practice, including in physician-led physiatry and pain clinics
National Board Certification in Acupuncture Orthopedics (300 hours) 2006, through Lerner Education.
Certified Personal Trainer, American College of Sports Medicine, 2006
Integrative Acupuncture Orthopedics program (96 hours) with Alon Marcus, L.Ac., 2006
Self-study and use of gua sha, cupping, myofascial trigger and motor point needling 2012+
Fellow, Academy of Integrative Pain Management (multi-disciplinary, now defunct), 2014
Certified as Myofascial Trigger Point Therapist, Myopain Seminars (90-hour Dry Needling program) 2017
Teaching integrative acupuncture orthopedics and pain management in DACM and DAOM programs of Five Branches University, Academy of Chinese Culture and Health Sciences, American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Virginia University of Integrative Medicine
And most important: injuries from running, cycling, swimming, rock climbing, sitting, driving, intermittent stress, performing acupuncture and massage, picking up babies, etc., i.e. life!

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Taiyang Great yang Opens to exterior	Superficial posterior	Trunk, thigh extension Knee, ankle flexion Arm extension Major postural and force output tract
Shaoyang Lesser yang Pivot/ harmonizer	Superficial lateral	Rotation, abduction, side-bending Harmonize front-back, left-right, internal-external
Yangming yang sunrise Closes exterior	Superficial anterior	Trunk, thigh flexion Knee and ankle extension Arm flexion, abduction Force output

3 Yang Jing-jin: The Big Picture

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Taiyin Great yin Opens to exterior	Medial	Trunk and arm flexion Limb adduction, internal rotation
Shaoyin Lesser yin Pivot/ harmonizer	Central, axial	Stabilize, harmonize and control motions of other jing-jin
Jueyin Terminal yin Closes exterior	Medial	Limb adduction Arm pronation, fist closure

3 Yin Jing-jin: the Big Picture

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How Useful are These “Big Picture” Images?

Ok for general guidance to where to look along the longitudinal myofascial tracts for problems that contribute to a symptomatic region
Provide a rough sense of functional relationships between tracts
Missing precision regarding muscles, joints and fascia: where to palpate and needle
To guide clinical treatment, we need more detailed descriptions and analysis of muscle, joint and fascia structure and function
Consistency regarding which jing-jin a muscle, joint or fascia “belongs” to is less important than understanding how to find and treat them effectively

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Need Help with Studying Myofascial Anatomy?

Cadaver/anatomy labs (or plastic models) are best for learning:

3D spatial orientation of tissues
Safe vs. unsafe needle angles, depths

Books:

Trail Guide to the Body: great for learning muscle palpation and actions
Netter’s Human Anatomy: definitive images
Muscle Testing and Function: learning manual strength testing

Apps such as “Essential Anatomy” allow for

Rotation of images
Isolation of structures
Differentiation of body systems
Viewing tissue layers from deep to superficial

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Taiyang Jing-jin:

Superficial Posterior Tract

Opens, adapts, discharges to and defends against exterior
More qi than blood
A major force output tract

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Leg Taiyang

Superficial Posterior Tract

Posture: counterbalances against gravity to keep us upright and prevent collapsing into fetal position

At ankles and above knees: counterbalance dorsiflexion or ankles, flexion of hips & spine
At knees: counterbalances knee extension

Movement:

Below knees: forward and upward propulsion
Above knees: extend hips, spine; restrain flexion

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Plantar fascia

Soleus

Gastrocnemius

Hamstring s

Sacrotuberous ligament

Gluteus maximus

Erector spinae

Upper, Middle & Lower

Trapezius

Splenius & semispinalis cervicis & capitis

Gala aponeurosis

Thoracolumbar fascia

Latissimus dorsi & teres major

Muscles

Connective tissue

Achilles tendon

Suboccipitals

Leg Taiyang

Occipito-frontalis

Posterior sacroiliac ligaments

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Arm Taiyang: Superficial Ulnar Tract

Posture:

Regulate lateral movement of the torso and provide lateral stability with the arm fixed or weight-bearing

Movement:

Elevate, adduct and depress (stabilize) the scapula
Extend the shoulder and elbow; restrain flexion
Ulnar deviation of the wrist and 5th hand digit; restrain radial deviation

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Arm Taiyang

Muscles

Connective tissue

Levator scapula

Rhomboids

Infraspinatus + teres minor

Triceps brachii

Extensor carpi ulnaris

Abductor digiti minimi

Posterior aspect of glenohumeral joint capsule and labrum

Humeral intermuscular septum

Pisohamate ligament

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Taiyang Jing-jin Injuries

Tendency towards stagnation and excess
Posterior body tightens upward, and yet feels unstable, top-heavy
Attempts, but fails to compensate for weak yangming jing-jin: allows anterior body to slump down and forward
Movement feels weak and unsupported

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