Bladder MeridianBL23

Shenshu 腎兪

For reference only · not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment

Short answer

Low back (lumbar region), 1.5 cun out from the back midline at the level of L2.

Back-shu point of the Kidney

See it in 3DRotate the body and peel back the skin to see the bones and muscles beneath.
Open the 3D Acupoint Map →

🖼See it in pictures

Shenshu — ① Where on the body? — **① Where on the body?**

Shenshu — Textbook view — skin on the left, muscle and bone underneath on the right — **Textbook view — skin on the left, muscle and bone underneath on the right**
Location and structures come from our 3D model; only the drawing style was refined with AI. Labels are added by us.

Shenshu — ③ Under the skin — **③ Under the skin**
Vertebra l2 · Latissimus dorsi muscle · Iliocostalis lumborum muscle · Longissimus thoracis muscle

Rendered straight from the 3D model at the computed location. The glowing ring marks Shenshu.

On this page

Where is Shenshu?
How do I find it on my body?
Before you press
How has it been used traditionally?
FAQ

1Where is Shenshu?

Low back (lumbar region), 1.5 cun out from the back midline at the level of L2.

The level is set by the lower edge of the L2 spinous process.

Beneath the point

Vertebra l2 · Latissimus dorsi muscle · Iliocostalis lumborum muscle · Longissimus thoracis muscle

Our 3D measurement · In our 3D model: level with the lower tip of the L2 spinous process, 1.5 cun (30.9 mm; 1 cun = 20.63 mm) from the back midline.

2How do I find it on my body?

From T12, count down two spinous processes to L2. Cross-check by counting up two from L4.
Take the height of the lower edge of that spinous process.
Press 1.5 cun out from the midline. Use the same width as on the upper back: half of the 3-cun midline-to-shoulder-blade distance.

Check · it is level with Zhishi (BL52) and, on the midline, with Mingmen (GV4).

What is a “cun”?

A cun is a body-scaled unit of length. The precise way is to divide a bone length into equal parts (proportional bone cun); finger widths are a quick estimate.

📖 Words explained

iliocostalis lumborum: The lower-back part of the outermost column of erector spinae. It runs from the back of the pelvis to the lower ribs.
longissimus thoracis: The back part of the middle column of erector spinae (longissimus). As its name says it is long, and it straightens the lower and middle back.
spinous process: The bony spike sticking backward from the middle of each spine bone. The row of bumps you feel down the middle of the back is these, and they serve as the counting marks for back points.
latissimus dorsi: The broad muscle covering the lower back and sides. It runs from the lower back and pelvis, behind the armpit, to the humerus, and pulls the arm down and back, as in a pull-up.

3Before you press

⚠ Do not press when

Do not press this point during pregnancy.
Points over the low back and sacrum are traditionally avoided in pregnancy (WHO acupuncture safety guidelines, 1999).
Avoid broken or swollen skin and press only to a comfortable level.
Acupressure is not a substitute for medical care.

4How has it been used traditionally?

Classified as the back-shu point of the Kidney in the Lingshu (ch. 51) — a historical classification, not a claim of effect.
Classical texts place it 'between the 14th vertebrae', which is L2 today.

From traditional texts — not a claim of effect.

?FAQ

Where exactly is Shenshu?

Low back (lumbar region), 1.5 cun out from the back midline at the level of L2. The level is set by the lower edge of the L2 spinous process.

How do I find Shenshu?

From T12, count down two spinous processes to L2. Cross-check by counting up two from L4. Take the height of the lower edge of that spinous process. Press 1.5 cun out from the midline. Use the same width as on the upper back: half of the 3-cun midline-to-shoulder-blade distance. it is level with Zhishi (BL52) and, on the midline, with Mingmen (GV4).

Can I press it during pregnancy?

Do not press this point during pregnancy.

What should I watch out for?

Do not press this point during pregnancy. Points over the low back and sacrum are traditionally avoided in pregnancy (WHO acupuncture safety guidelines, 1999). Avoid broken or swollen skin and press only to a comfortable level. Acupressure is not a substitute for medical care.

← PreviousSanjiaoshu · BL22 Next →Qihaishu · BL24

Sources

Location: WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations in the Western Pacific Region (2008), p. 111
Standard comparison: Chinese national standard GB/T 12346-2021 (Nomenclature and location of meridian points), p. 17 — same location
Korean anatomical terms: KMLE medical dictionary
Traditional-use cross-check: AcuAtlas dataset (CC BY 4.0)
Classification source: Lingshu ch. 51 (Bei Shu); Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing vol. 3, sec. 8
Safety: WHO Guidelines on Basic Training and Safety in Acupuncture (1999), p. 20 — lumbosacral points in pregnancy

Positions computed from the WHO standard locations (2008) on Z-Anatomy (CC BY-SA 4.0) · BodyParts3D © DBCLS. For reference only — not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment. See a clinician if you are unwell.