Acupuncture & Fascia - The Stomach & Spleen Meridians and Superficial Front Line

From a myofascial and anatomical perspective the stomach meridian is on the superficial front line (SFL). This fascial line includes the tibialis anterior muscle, quadriceps, rectus abdominis, sternalis muscle, chest fascia, and SCM. When a point like stomach 36 (ST 36) is needled it can potentially effect this whole fascial line. This is part of the reason why ST 36 is indicated for lung and heart disorders.  

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The spleen meridian is also part of this fascial line, but it also runs through the deep front line (DFL) in the leg. Points from SP 3 - SP 9 will effect the DFL, while points from SP 10 - SP 12 will influence the SFL.

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This is important for acupuncturist to understand because it provides an anatomical basis for the meridians and point functions. Each acupuncture point has diverse functions, and knowing the myofascial anatomy and connections, helps us to better comprehend the numerous and diverse actions of the points.