Which acupoints should be massaged for knee arthritis?

　　Many middle-aged and elderly people suffer from knee arthritis, a condition that can make it very difficult to sit or stand comfortably. So, which acupoints can be massaged to help treat knee arthritis?

　　Which acupoints should be massaged for knee arthritis?

　　Method 1

　　This technique is suitable for patients in the early stages of knee osteoarthritis, whose clinical symptoms include swelling, pain, severe discomfort during flexion and extension, crepitus, a positive patellar float test, and X-ray findings indicating hypertrophy of the intercondylar ridges of the patella.

　　Massage techniques: Press and knead acupoints such as Xuehai, Liangqiu, Neiwei and Waikui on the knees, as well as Zusanli and Weizhong, to reduce swelling and relieve pain. Local application of frictional techniques can help disperse stasis and unblock meridians.

　　Method Two

　　This approach is suitable for patients with advanced osteoarthritis of the knee joint, who present clinically with morning stiffness, swelling, limited range of motion, knee weakness, and deformity. X-rays reveal bone spur formation within the joint, narrowing of the joint space, and signs of degenerative changes.

　　Massage techniques: Press and knead the Wei Zhong, Wei Yang, and Cheng Shan acupoints on the back of the knees. Straighten out the patellar tendon on the front side of the knee, as well as the biceps femoris and ligaments on the back side. Then, use the thumbs of both hands to press on the outer edge of the patella, while the remaining four fingers press on the inner side of the knee joint. This will stabilize the patient’s knee joint and provide resistance, allowing the patient to bend their knee joint and perform resistance exercises. When bent to the maximum extent, perform flexion and extension movements with the braking joint involved. Repeat this 3 to 5 times, until it becomes tolerable for you, in order to achieve the goal of loosening the adhesions.

　　Traditional Chinese medicine remedies for knee arthritis

　　1. 5 grams of pangolin scales, 10 grams of white peony root, 15 grams of eupatorium herb. There are three ingredients in total. Cook it in one jin of yellow liquor over low heat. Add a little brown sugar and drink it after straining the residue, depending on the amount you want to consume. Eat at least twice a day, and stick to it. In hot weather, you can put it in the fridge and reheat it before eating. It has the effects of relaxing muscles and promoting blood circulation, as well as resolving stasis and breaking down hardness.

　　2. Use a hair dryer to target the joints affected by arthritis for half an hour every day. Control the temperature carefully to avoid burning yourself. If the condition is not severe, you should see good results quite quickly.

　　3. For external application: 10 grams each of White Aconite Root, Asarum, processed Aconitum Kusnezoffii, Gleditsia Spine, Earthworm, Dragon’s Blood, Camphor, and Borneol. Crush all the medicinal ingredients into powder and mix them with liquor to form a paste. Apply this paste directly to the painful areas of the knee joints; if no specific pain points are present, apply it to the Inner and Outer Knee Eye acupoints, Xuehai acupoint, and Liangqiu acupoint, along with the Shangshi Zhitong plaster. Once a day, for 8 hours each time; 10 applications constitute one course of treatment.

　　4. Peat therapy. Burn the clumps of earth in the fire until they turn blackish-yellow, then grind them into powder and mix it with water. Apply this mixture all over the body or to the affected areas; it can also be used for bathing by pouring the powder into a bathtub.

　　Which acupoints should be massaged for knee arthritis? After reading this article, I believe everyone will have the answer. Whether you suffer from knee arthritis or not, we should take good care of our knees in our daily lives in order to prevent the development of this condition.