Bladder MeridianBL62

Shenmai 申脈

For reference only · not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment

Short answer

Outer side of the foot, in the dip directly below the highest point of the outer ankle bone.

Eight confluent points — Yang Heel vessel (paired with Houxi, SI3)

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

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

Shenmai — 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.

Shenmai — ③ Under the skin — **③ Under the skin**
Fibula · Calcaneus · Superior fibular retinaculum · Fibularis longus muscle

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

On this page

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

1Where is Shenmai?

Outer side of the foot, in the dip directly below the highest point of the outer ankle bone.

It lies between the lower edge of the lateral malleolus and the calcaneus; its inner-side counterpart is Zhaohai (KI6).

Beneath the point

Fibula · Calcaneus · Superior fibular retinaculum · Fibularis longus muscle

Our 3D measurement · In our 3D model: straight below the lateral malleolus, the deepest skin point 7.5 mm below its tip (5.5 mm deep).

2How do I find it on my body?

Find the highest point of the outer ankle bone.
Go straight down past its lower edge.
Press the dip between that lower edge and the heel bone.

Check · it mirrors Zhaohai, the dip below the inner ankle bone.

📖 Words explained

superior fibular retinaculum: A band from behind the outer ankle to the heel bone. It keeps the two fibularis tendons from slipping out from behind the ankle.
lateral malleolus: The bump on the outer side of the ankle, the lower end of the fibula. It sits a little lower and farther back than the inner ankle bone.

3Before you press

⚠ Do not press when

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?

The Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing says the Yang Heel vessel arises here, and the Zhenjiu Juying (1529) lists it among the eight confluent points — historical classifications, not claims of effect.
Its partner on the inner ankle is Zhaohai (KI6).

From traditional texts — not a claim of effect.

?FAQ

Where exactly is Shenmai?

Outer side of the foot, in the dip directly below the highest point of the outer ankle bone. It lies between the lower edge of the lateral malleolus and the calcaneus; its inner-side counterpart is Zhaohai (KI6).

How do I find Shenmai?

Find the highest point of the outer ankle bone. Go straight down past its lower edge. Press the dip between that lower edge and the heel bone. it mirrors Zhaohai, the dip below the inner ankle bone.

What should I watch out for?

Avoid broken or swollen skin and press only to a comfortable level. Acupressure is not a substitute for medical care.

← PreviousPucan · BL61 Next →Jinmen · BL63

Sources

Location: WHO Standard Acupuncture Point Locations in the Western Pacific Region (2008), p. 130
Standard comparison: Chinese national standard GB/T 12346-2021 (Nomenclature and location of meridian points), p. 20 — same location
Korean anatomical terms: KMLE medical dictionary
Traditional-use cross-check: AcuAtlas dataset (CC BY 4.0)
Classification source: Zhenjiu Jiayi Jing vol. 3, sec. 35; Zhenjiu Juying, Song of the Eight Confluent Points

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.