Adaptable Polarity

Movement, Muscles & Meridians

Lateral Line of Fascia & Gallbladder Channel
Illustrated, written & edited by Jordan Terry
Lateral Line Open and Closed in reference to that of the fish
Lateral Line of Fascia & Gallbladder Meridian

In this series, we explore the Movements, Muscles, and Meridians of the

frontal plane of motion.

“The default movement pattern vertebrates have employed is a side-to-side

undulation. This inherited pattern of movement is still the core curriculum
for human locomotion.” -Dr. Phillip Beach

Dr. Beach states in his book, which I highly recommend “Muscles and Me-
ridians: The Manipulation of Shape,” that we inherited this lateral flexion
movement from our “piscean ancestors.” We see it in the way they swim to
create motion, and a basic foundation of our gait / walking ability to hike a
hip to create drive and propulsion. He also illuminates how there was a cra-
nial connection of this line to the lateral eye muscles.

This is why, and it will be depicted later, I have included more than what
Thomas Myers has included in his myofascial meridians and book “Anat-
omy Trains.” Of which, all of the fascial plane depictions are my 3D model
creations and hand drawings, but based off of his brilliance, dissections and
divulgings to the world.

I have illustrated these energetic and myofascial meridians through ma-

jor sections of the body: foot, knee, hip, torso, and cranium. At each level,
there will be the movements described, the muscle movers, and then trac-
ing the meridians (which will be Lateral Line and Gallbladder throughout
this entire short series). The most interesting part comes in the overlap,
contrast, comparison, and similarities of the two languages talking about
the one human body that we all receive for this crazy spiraling trip around
a giant ball of gas on this spinning rock. Ha! Enjoy!

Invitation: use the movements, muscles and acupoints to explore your own
body and motions
Lateral Line through the Foot
The Foot: Lateral Line of Fascia & Gallbladder Meridian

One of the more interesting divergences of these two ways of talking about
the human body occurs at the foot. Technically, this is the end of the Gall-
bladder meridian which travels laterally throughout the entire body until
we reach the foot. It then takes a slight bend towards the mid-line and fin-
ishes at the 4th toe. It does not finish on the lateral aspect of the 5th toe,
which is reserved for the Urinary Bladder Channel.

Instead, there is a midpoint at the lateral ankle between the larger Fibularis
muscles and the tertius muscle. At this point of the ankle, there is very lit-
tle muscle and only the lateral talocalcaneal ligament and the joint itself.
That seems a fair and important fascial and energetic connection when
one understands the importance of the talus bone (which attaches to no
muscle and determines the distribution of the weight of the leg throughout
the foot). The channel then shoots between the 4th and 5th phalanges fol-
lowing that line until finishing on the lateral aspect of the 4th toe. The one
thing that grabs me here is the overlap of the extensor digitorum longus,
considered part of another fascial plane, but when I try to evert my foot, it
is rather difficult to eliminate my 4th and 5th toes from trying to assist the
movement.

Another interesting point of ...well, interest, is the divergence away from

fibularis longus as the muscle delves under the metatarsals to attach to the
medial aspect of the foot. Technically, it attaches to the medial cuneiform
and 1st metatarsal.

Movement: lateral flexion of the ankle, also known as, eversion of the foot.
Let it be added, that this motion is different in open and closed chain func-
tional anatomy.

Muscles: fibularis muscles, the zig of the Gallbladder meridian approxi-

mately aligns with the height of brevis on the fibula
Lateral Line through the Knee
The Knee: Lateral Line of Fascia & Gallbladder Meridian

The lateral line through the knee is pretty straight forward. In fact, in re-
checking my marks against the Manual of Acupuncture that I have, I find
I put too much bend or curve down the femur. These are the troubles of
translating three dimensions to two dimensions while also trying to depict
the third dimension.

The knee is supposed to be a stable joint. It has a great range of motion

predominantly in only one plane of motion, and that is not the frontal
plane. Most notably then is the lack of musculature at the lateral knee. The
fibularis muscles end on the fibula, and myofascially speaking, the force is
transferred through the ligaments at the fibular head to the iliotibial band.

Unlike the ankle where there is an acupoint right at the joint, there is noth-
ing at the meeting of the femur and tibia. There is however, one point just
above and one point just below proximately appropriated to the curves of
the femur and tibia. Fascinating.

With all that being said, there must be a little bit of movement here. Heck,
there’s movement in sutures, but imagine stepping off a sidewalk awkward-
ly or rocks while hiking. What happens to the entire connected line and
kinetic chain of the lateral line? There will be a mild lateral flexion of the
lower leg bending towards the hip. There is even less towards the mid-line
which made me do a quick search of a couple of orthopedic web pages to
see that the medial collateral ligament tears are more common than the
lateral collateral ligament.

Movement: mostly stability, teeny tiny lateral flexion from tensor fascia
latae connection through the iliotibial band

Muscles: none, unless you count the tensor fascia latae

Lateral Line through the Hip
The Hip: Lateral Line of Fascia & Gallbladder Meridian

As the thin line of connective tissue travels up the thigh from the iliotibi-
al band, at about the greater trochanter of the hip, we begin to start seeing
some of the infamous zigs and zags of Chinese meridians AND simulta-
neously a spreading of the myofascial line. That greater trochanter site is a
launch pad for movement. The hip is mobile.

Rightly so, at the level of the hip, we see a tremendous increase in move-
ment in all planes of motion. Funny enough...or coincidentally? Or it just
so happens, that the Gallbladder acupoints are on either side of the hip
joint. Not depicted the best to prove this point in this image, but if one
were to look at a manual for acupuncture, there is a point to the anterior
and then posterior of the hip joint. Amazing!

Interestingly enough, spanning back to two illustrated series ago when we

were looking at pain patterns and fascia and meridians, the points around
the hip joint are indicated for sciatica or pain down the leg. This is analo-
gous to gluteus minimus referral patterns of pain.

The meridian line then jumps to two prominent bony landmarks of the
anterior ilium while myofascially connecting to all of the abductor muscles
including a little bit of gluteus maximus. The musculature increases in size
and proximity to the joint again showing indications of much more move-
ment at the level of the hip. This is especially clear when compared to the
knee, or even the foot.

Movement: abduction of the hip

Muscles: tensor fascia latae, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus and some
fibers of gluteus maximus
Lateral Line through the Torso
The Torso: Lateral Line Fascia & Gallbladder Meridian

There are even depictions of the lateral line of fascia through the torso
emulating that of the Gallbladder channel zigging and zagging its way up
the side towards the shoulder. At this point, it would be very interesting to
connect the two gallbladder channel lines to then see the overlap and con-
nections to the spiral lines of fascia (an image for another time in the se-
ries).

One of the complexities of turning into bipedal animals, according to Dr.

Beach, was translating this lateral line and what he calls a contractile field
into forward movement. He references the alteration of the pelvis and the
ilium that we see now in humans versus other tetrapods. I see the no tail
fin as the biggest difference personally, but this is an allusion to the previ-
ous paragraph and the use of the spiral lines, or what Beach calls Helical
contractile fields.

Hip hiking is an essential and fundamental movement of the spine. How-

ever, it should not be an overly perceived motion of the human as it is al-
most immediately countered by the rib cage and thoracic movement in the
frontal plane, and then the head and neck. The cranium moves the least be-
cause we do not like to be bobble heads, and our seventh cranial nerve likes
eyes and ears level to the horizon. When someone looses that spiral ability,
we often times see a translation into the frontal plane, and it becomes nota-
ble and easily perceivable with a limp.

I like to look at this meridian line down the lateral line and see if I can con-
nect with those points. Fun mind-body awareness practice for you.

Movement: lateral torso flexion

Muscles: abdominal obliques, intercostal muscles

Lateral Line through Head and Neck
The Head & Neck: Lateral Line of Fascia & Gallbladder Meridian

It just hit me as setting down to write this segment, that it is at the poles of
the human body that there are the greatest discrepancies between myofas-
cial meridians and acupuncture meridians. I was highly dissatisfied to sim-
ply include Tom Myers completion of the lateral line versus the Gallblad-
der line. Upon further study, I would have included upper trapezius in this
image as well.

The Gallbladder channel actually begins at the lateral eye, and according to
Dr. Beach, the lateral rectus eye muscles. These little muscles in the lateral
aspect of our eye orbits allow us to look to the sides. It is referenced in his
book that this aided prey to lateral flex and see behind them, and then of
course, hopefully evade a predator.

Perfectly analogous then that the lateral line and contractile field should
begin here, but Tom includes the temporalis muscle in the deep front line
of fascia. I am most certain there could be a lovely conversation with Tom
about it as other muscles are seen in multiple lines of fascia. A reminder
that fascia is three dimensional and not two dimensional, also.

So when I got over this personal depictive discrepancy and added more
muscles that all really do connect, I saw a beautiful completion of the later-
al line of fascia. Technically in Chinese medicine, it is the beginning of the
Gallbladder channel, but that is neither here nor there. What is interesting
is the entire lateral aspect of the cranium is included, AND the channel
seems to create an energetic antenna around the ear. Hmmmm....

Movement: lateral neck flexion

Muscles: splenius capitis, sternocleidomastoid, temporalis, occipitofrontalis

and upper trapezius (not pictured)
 Adaptable Polarity
Movement, Muscles & Meridians
Posterior Line of Fascia & Urinary Bladder Channel
Illustrated, written & edited by Jordan Terry
Posterior line in extension, elongation
Superficial Back Line of Fascia & Urinary Bladder Meridian

In this series, we explore the Movements, Muscles, and Meridians of half of

the sagittal plane of motion looking at the posterior of the human body.

“A terrestrial existence challenged vertebrate locomotor design. The spinal

complex responded to gravity and friction by developing regional com-
plexity and exploring new planes of movement. Spinal flexion and exten-
sion became important to how tetrapods move.” -Dr. Phillip Beach, “Mus-
cles and Meridians”

“The homologous reach and pull pattern develops through elongation,

allowing the animal to reach beyond its kinesphere.” -Bonnie Bainbridge
Cohen, “Basic Neurocellular Patterns”

The ability of the human being to erect themselves off of the ground and
to stand upright, to elongate, allowed us to reach beyond our kinesphere,
running, chasing, and climbing like no other. This ability to elongate, start-
ing from infant “tummy time” lifting our head and neck against gravity is a
defining feature of the these posterior meridians.

I have illustrated these energetic and myofascial meridians through ma-

jor sections of the body: foot, knee, hip, torso, and cranium. At each level,
there will be the movements described, the muscle movers, and then trac-
ing the meridians (which will be Superficial Back Line and Urinary Blad-
der throughout this entire short series). The most interesting part comes
in the overlap, contrast, comparison, and similarities of the two languages
talking about the one human body that we all receive for this crazy spiral-
ing trip around a giant ball of gas on this spinning rock. Ha! Enjoy!

Invitation: use the movements, muscles and acupoints to explore your own
body and motions
Posterior Line through the Foot
The Foot: Superficial Back Line of Fascia & Urinary Bladder Meridian

One of the major discrepancies of this channel lies at the foot. In terms of
the myofascia, it runs directly down through the calf muscles continuous-
ly through the heel into the plantar fascia and musculature. However, the
energetic channel dives laterally to the edge of the pinky toe.

At first glance, I see the discrepancy at the level of yin and yang surfaces or
the skin. The bottoms of our feet are considered a yin surface. Yes, we can
develop well worn feet, but they are generally a receptive surface. Think of
all of the nerve endings and information that is sent to your brain from the
bottom’s of your feet. The Urinary Bladder meridian is a yang channel with
a start at the cranium running down to your feet. The very last edge of yang
skin surface is the lateral edge of the foot off of that ever-so-useful coffee
table locator, also known as, your pinky toe.

Upon second glance, and not depicted in this image, I stumble across the
Sural nerve. This little branch of the tibial, and therefore sciatic, nerve just
so happens to run superficially and medially down the gastrocnemius until
the ankle where the nerve dives laterally under the lateral ankle bone trav-
eling down to the very end of the fifth digit. What the foot!

Something else of note, is the zig zag at the medial calf. Anatomically, it
seems to follow the lateral gastrocnemius muscle and Achilles tendon. The
sural nerve remains straight at this juncture. So what is going on here? In
the lateral line, there is a zig at the mid calf, as well, but has clearer myofas-
cial connections. My personal jury is still out.

Movement: plantar flexion of the toes and the ankle, it must be noted that
open and closed chain movements here look quite different

Muscles: gastrocnemius, soleus, flexor digitorum brevis, I might even con-

sider abductor digiti minimi in there as well
Posterior Line through the Knee
The Knee: Superficial Back Line of Fascia & Urinary Bladder Meridian

In terms of contractile fields, a term from Dr. Beach, the knee is lacking in
all directions except with these two posterior meridians. Or, for polarity’s
sake, these posterior meridians have the greatest ability of contraction for
the knee joint.

This becomes extremely interesting as we view what the two lines do here
at the back of the knee. The myofascial line comes down the thigh and
splits at the knee with the hamstring attachments. It then converges again
just below the back of the knee into the calf muscles. This creates a gap and
a space in between.

Dr. Daniel Keown, author of “Spark in the Machine,” writes about how
modern, western doctors and surgeons have dissected the human body
through and through to unsuccessfully prove that there are no meridians in
the human body. Referencing the yin and yang symbol, Keown states that
it is not just two symbols, but three. He writes that the space between, or
the “S” curve of the symbol, is just as important as the polarities of yin and
yang that provide the movement and shape. Dr. Keown denotes that these
modern surgeons have literally used the meridians and the space between,
fascial planes, to dissect the body.

So, now we look at the energetic meridian overlayed on the myofascial me-
ridian, and see how important this space in between is. The Vascular sup-
ply, the nervous system divergence, the lymphatics all have a very notable
figure or formation at this juncture in the space in between. Fascinating (to
me at least, I hope you are following and are as enthused as I).

Movement: knee flexion

Muscles: Hamstrings, gastrocnemius

Posterior Line through the Hip
The Hip: Superficial Back Line of Fascia & Urinary Bladder Meridian

In my research, I came across someone who really broke down the super-
ficial back line of fascia into two lines with one being superficial and the
other deep. As I was doing my best to put the dots where the Manual of
Acupuncture says they go, I really started reflecting on why this one ener-
getic meridian has two lines.

The two back lines really started to make sense, and therefore, so did hav-
ing the two pathways of the one Urinary Bladder channel. At the spinal
level, we have the deeper muscles that run inter-segmentally. While at the
superficial level, we have muscles that span several vertebra. Then as we
arrive at the hip, one energetic line follows the myofascia almost perfectly
through the sacrum, its ligaments, and the hamstrings, but what about the
second leg?

As depicted here, I included by lightly overlaying the gluteus maximus.

Glute max, for short, is included in a functional line of fascia in Tom My-
ers’s “Anatomy Trains,” but(t) seemed to fit better here following the ener-
getic line of the Urinary Bladder channel.

Also worthy of noting is the zig zag of the channel over the sacrum and
sacroiliac (SI) joint. Each foramen of the sacrum is considered an acupoint,
and then zig, the theme continues write over the SI joint. To me, it is an
indication of the importance of this pole. The sacrum is the other end of
the spinal cord and the dura mater that wraps your brain goes all the way
down and attaches to your sacrum. The bone is considered sacred by the
ancient Romans, and a chi gate by the Chinese, and a cerebrospinal fluid
pump by the craniosacral therapists...must be important.

Movement: Hip Extension

Muscles: Spinal erectors, hamstrings and gluteus maximus.

Posterior Line through the Torso
The Torso: Superficial Back Line of Fascia & Urinary Bladder Meridian

As just reviewed in the hip section, we see two channels of one meridian
with all those blue dots that could speak to a level of separation of Anato-
my Trains posterior line into superficial AND deep back line of fascia.

More interesting though are the points along the spine at each level of the
vertebra except at thoracic vertebra number eight (T8). I do not know if
I got all the dots correct, hundreds have come before me to precisely lay
them down on maps of the human body. Please reference their work and
do not take mine as doctrine, but from what my Manual of Acupuncture
says, there are no acupoints on this channel at T8. (BL17 at T7 and BL18 at
T9)

I have not spoken with an acupuncturist as of yet, as I am working on de-

veloping my own studies and understandings without influence. All of the
points along the spine have organ relationships and are called SHU points.
Why skip? I thought for a second that it may be the apex of the curve, but
if we have 12 thoracic vertebra, the top six and bottom six would fold be
more around T7-T6 so is it not a Lovett’s Reactor / spinal coupling thing?

The one thing that I could find, actually from an old chart that I created
merging and overlapping spinal assessments from different modalities was
that the SHU points proceed downwards from arm lines to the Governing
Vessel which runs along your spine then skips at the gap to begin again
with the Conception Vessel and leg lines. So maybe it is around the apex
of the curve? And maybe I am just slightly off, and maybe that gap is the
space in between. Thanks for sticking in there and reading through some
of the madness of my mind.

Movement: spinal extension

Muscles: spinal erectors

Posterior Line through the Head & Neck
Head & Neck: Superficial Back Line of Fascia & Urinary Bladder Meridian

For some reason, it has always remained endlessly fascinating that the back
line should begin somewhere on the front of the body. From a perspective
instilled in me from Dr. Beach, embryology makes the most sense to me
here. We fold out.

Literally, as we begin to elongate, I believe it was his literature that shows

that our heads basically fold out of our butts, and I love to joke that some
people in a short life span find their heads back up their butts. We see this
with infants though as well. When they are basically little piles of mush,
they are just learning to work against gravity to unfold from lying, rolling,
crawling to standing and walking.

I would love to know the data between individuals who had sufficient tum-
my time in their developmental years versus those that did not. How many
were set upright or propped into chairs that cheated the child on earning
their way through the gravitational pull of our planet Earth. It is not a race
to get to walking. Hear that and reread that, parents or future parents.

In exploring head and neck extension, I think I would have even included
the eyes and their superficial muscles just like I included the lateral rectus
muscles in the lateral line / Gallbladder meridian. Try it. Try to extend your
head and neck as far as you can while your eyes look downwards, and then
try it with your eyes looking and leading.

Last note, look at the gap in acupoints from the second cervical vertebra to
the seventh. Another preponderance and perplexity that makes me think
of the power of the scalene muscles and other connective relationships.

Movement: head and neck extension

Muscles: neck extensors, occipitofrontalis

 Adaptable Polarity
Movement, Muscles & Meridians
Superficial Front Line of Fascia & Stomach Channel
Illustrated, written & edited by Jordan Terry
Anterior line in flexion, paired movement contraction / elongation / contraction
Superficial Front Line Fascia & Stomach Meridian

In this series, we explore the Muscles, Movements and Meridians of the

other half of the sagittal plane looking at the anterior of the human body.

“The Conception and Governing vessels are like midday and midnight,
they are the polar axis of the body...there is one source and two branches,
one goes to the front and the other goes to the back of the body ... When
we try to divide these, we see that yin and yang are inseparable. When we
try to see them as one, we see that it is an indivisible whole.” -Dr. Phillip
Beach, “Muscles and Meridians”

Although I am not covering the Conception and Governing vessels of the

body, this thought exploration into the Tao and Chinese medicine holds
true, and remains applicable as we look at the movement and muscles. The
body is separated by anatomists for study and conversation, but it is insep-
arable. Movement in the anterior chain of the body and through the related
meridians is always connected to the rest of the body. Most specifically, it is
pertinent to understand its synergistic and antagonistic relationships with
the posterior chain.

I have illustrated these energetic and myofascial meridians through ma-

jor sections of the body: foot, knee, hip, torso, and cranium. At each level,
there will be the movements described, the muscle movers, and then trac-
ing the meridians (which will be Superficial Front Line and Stomach Chan-
nel throughout this entire short series). The most interesting part comes
in the overlap, contrast, comparison, and similarities of the two languages
talking about the one human body that we all receive for this crazy spiral-
ing trip around a giant ball of gas on this spinning rock. Ha! Enjoy!

Invitation: use the movements, muscles and acupoints to explore your own
body and motions
Anterior Line through the Foot
The Foot: Superficial Front Line Fascia & Stomach Meridian

The overlapping of the two meridian systems looks pretty straight forward
here. Technically, the Stomach channel ends at the lateral side of the second
toe, but basically, this is the middle of the foot. It draws a dorsal midline up
the foot at the very least.

We notice acupoints at the distal and proximal phalangeal joints, and at the
talocrural joint as well. Basically, every joint heading from the toe towards
the knee indicating the importance of movement. That is just my opinion
from the findings of these illustrations through all of the yang meridians.
We shall reflect when we look at the knee, hip, spine etc.

Also worth noting from my perspective, is the zig about mid calf. In fact,
each of these major meridians, has a zig at the mid calf. Why? I can follow
some myofascial tracts in some cases. For instance here, there is perhaps
enough tensile strength mid calf to jump from the lateral compartment to
the anterior. The arterial supply is pretty toes to nose. The major veinous
supply is predominantly yin-side, and I see no nervous system connection
here either. Again, I am just exploring and reporting back, but these zigs
and zags at the mid calf have heightened my own awareness.

I used to be very heavy foot focused on many levels, but because of this
new awareness of zigs and zags, there is a fascinatingly new sensation at my
mid calf. Where the mind goes, energy follows. The best that I can explain
it is that it is a transfer point of force, synergy, as I shift from pronation to
supination, or even just inversion to eversion, or dorsi to plantar flexion.
What do you find?

Movement: dorsiflexion of toes and foot

Muscles: tibialis anterior, flexor hallucis longus, extensor digitorum longus

Anterior Line through the Knee
The Knee: Superficial Front Line Fascia & Stomach Meridian

Dr. Phillip Beach, aforementioned several times now throughout these

series, speaks of the meridians also as, “Contractile Fields.” It is a wildly
thought provoking, and rather accurate depiction of the human form, from
embryo to adult. What catches my eye here at the knee is there is no con-
tractile nature to this joint other than from a long position. Meaning: there
is only contraction once the other / antagonistic line of the posterior has
contracted. It can only return to center basically. Some people are capable
of hyper extending their knees, but that is not ideal.

There is an alotted acupoint here right at the level of the knee on the lateral
aspect of the patella. Just one? Fascinating. As referenced in the foot, where
there was one for every joint, and in the lateral where there is none, and in
the posterior where there is three! What does it mean? I just ran a check
through the medial running yin meridians, and it does appear to have a
couple points on the medial aspect of the joint. We shall explore that when
we get to it.

It is the ligaments of the patella that span the knee joint allowing this my-
ofascial connection, and both channels run rather straight up and down
the leg. The quadriceps are given to the superficial front line, but always
remember, fascia is 3D. These are generalized lines of force, and dissection
drills.

I have found, not only in myofascial studies like where the vastus lateralis
is contributed to another fascial plane, that the vastus medialis is possibly a
part of another fascial plane, as well. I have not even begun to place inter-
medius....hmmm? It is deep, is it not?

Movement: knee extension

Muscles: quadriceps, maybe some tibialis anterior

Anterior Line through the Hip
The Hip: Superficial Front Line Fascia & Stomach Meridian

Marching our way upwards, I again find interest in the placement of acu-
points. Here, at the hip, which has a vast amount of movement, we see the
points skipping right over the joint. This reminds me of a comment on
social media that the rectus femoris is a, “weak hip flexor.”

Perhaps, we are not so much look at hip flexion. Deep front line of fascia
really wins the lot for number of muscles that help contribute to hip flex-
ion. So where does that leave us? Maybe some of tensor fascia latae (TFL,
not depicted) is to be included here? How does the myofascial tract go
from the lateral pelvis to the pubis?

I included the inguinal ligament, which turns out is not included in the
Tom Myers version. The rectus femoris attaches to the anterior inferior ili-
ac spine, not the superior. This is why I suggest we complete this map with
TFL who does attach to the anterior superior iliac spine, and now we have
some more connectivity, stronger hip flexion, but also internal rotation of
the hip. Are you with me?

The absence of acupoints up the femur, to then the plethora of points start-
ing from the pubic bone on up the abdomen, is worth observing. The angle
of the stomach channel seems to mirror the head of the femur. The weight
distribution of gravity is mirrored more in the acupuncture meridian than
the myofascial meridian.We have a zig zag.

Awareness game that I invite you to do is to pay attention to the anterior

hip point between the trochanter heads, and the pubic bone. Connection?

Movement: hip flexion (and internal rotation?)

Muscles: rectus femoris (and TFL?)

Anterior Line through the Torso
The Torso: Superficial Front Line Fascia & Stomach Meridian

As soon as this meridian jumps more towards midline, it becomes a point

surplus! Look at them all! Almost mirroring the posterior chain at every
vertebral level including the coccyx, but on the anterior side a slight jump
around the nipple and up between each intercostal until the sternoclavicu-
lar joint.

The little jumps away from straight, at other points referred to as zigs or
zags or both, always catch my attention. First, try to contract your ribs
from the sternum. I get nothing. The movement is not there because the
sternocostal joints are points of rotation and the closer one gets to that
access of rotation, the less movement and musculature. Remember, this is a
yang channel meant for moving.

On that note, for a yang channel, this is rather on the yin side of the body,
but wait! Try to brace to protect yourself. What happens? When someone
says, “HEADS UP!” do we actually lift our heads and expose our bellies?
No, we expose our backs and flex our abdomen to protect our vitals. This
all of the sudden makes sense. These first three yang meridians / myofascial
chains are primary movers and protectors.

Back to the zigs, at the level of the clavicle, the stomach channel jumps
over the clavicle and then to the sternoclavicular (SC) joint before heading
up the neck. Again, I find a protective maneuver here elevating the clavi-
cle and internally rotating the shoulder to be my, “ah-ha!” The SC joint is
a powerful joint, and technically where the shoulder attaches back to the
core. It is worthy of paying attention to it.

Movement: torso flexion

Muscles: rectus abdominis, sternalis, maybe some pectoralis fibers should

be included
Anterior Line through the Head & Neck
The Head & Neck: Superficial Front Line Fascia & Stomach Meridian

Another one of the large discrepancies between myofascial and energetic

meridians is again at the cranium. Following this line from the feet up, the
muscles and meridians are almost a perfect match right through the ster-
nocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle. Then the Anatomy Train runs posteriorly
culminating in a connection deemed, “scalp fascia.”

The Polarity lover in me loves this anatomy train because we have the ante-
rior line finishing on the posterior side of the body, and vice versa with the
posterior line (previously explored in separate PDF). It is just so good, but
does not match the stomach channel here.

The stomach meridian technically begins right below the eye on the infra-
orbital ridge. It proceeds down the face to the mandible, all the way up to
the parietal bone, before descending down through the neck. It is because
of this path that I included so many other muscles of the face and jaw. This
is the second time that I do not find temporalis or masseter as part of the
deep front line of fascia, but a superficial line.

Also, if we consider how we get food to the stomach, there are some move-
ments and muscles we should also consider. First is the act of looking at
our food. We look down to see our food on plates or approach. Looking
down engages neck flexion. The jaw merely can relax to open with gravity.
However, mastication of foods requires mandibular elevation, also known
as chewing. Now, we see the importance of that branch of the stomach
channel running up the mandible, masseter, TMJ joint and even the tem-
poralis muscle. Fascinating, no?

Movement: neck flexion

Muscles: SCM (facial muscles: orbicularis oculi/oris, risorius, zygomaticus,

levator/depressor anguli/labii, superficial masseter and temporalis)
 Adaptable Polarity
Movement, Muscles & Meridians
Deep Front Line of Fascia & Spleen Channel
Illustrated, written & edited by Jordan Terry
Deep Front Line of Fascia and the Spleen Meridian, embryo umbilical reception
Deep Front Line of Fascia & the Spleen Meridian

In this series, I begin to digitally dissect the deep front line of fascia over-
lapping, contrasting and comparing it to the Spleen channel, one of three
yin meridians from Chinese medicine.

The first thing I have learned in this exploration is that there are clos-
er connections to myofascia and energetic meridians than I had thought
previously. The more I delve, the more I am convinced that “form follows
function,” as is the natural way. It is only in human designs/arts that we see
it any other way. However, nature is efficient and seeks to waste nothing.

The most immediate recognition was that the yin meridians start on the
feet and finish at the head. This is the polar opposite to the yang meridi-
ans. Duh, of course, right? Well, there are all sorts of pathways that these
Chinese meridians take, and I haven’t studied them through that lens. As I
began this Spleen channel exploration, I noticed that they end on the torso,
but each then had this little internal track that ran all the way up to the cra-
nium. Most specifically, they all run to or around the mouth and tongue,
which lead to the next awareness of the yin receptivity... and the umbilical
cord and the mouth. Light bulbs! Explosions!

I have illustrated these energetic and myofascial meridians through ma-

jor sections of the body: foot, knee, hip, torso, and cranium. At each lev-
el, there will be the movements described, the muscle movers, and then
tracing the meridians (which will be Deep Front Line and Spleen Channel
throughout this entire short series). The most interesting part comes in the
overlap, contrast, comparison, and similarities of the two languages talking
about the one human body that we all receive for this crazy spiraling trip
around a giant ball of gas on this spinning rock. Ha! Enjoy!

Invitation: use the movements, muscles and acupoints to explore your own
body and motions
Deep Front Line of Fascia through the Foot
The Foot: Deep Front Line of Fascia & the Spleen Meridian

Through the foot, there happens to be three muscles in the deep front line
of fascia: tibialis posterior, flexor digitorum longus, and flexor hallucis lon-
gus...and three yin meridians (wink, wink, nudge, nudge, coincidence?)

For the Spleen channel, this was an easy one to go straight for the flexor
hallucis longus. The tendon of the muscle comes straight down under the
big toe through the hallux and first metatarsal. At about the level of the
medial cuneiform, the energetic path deviates from this muscle and the
myofascial path. I included the tibialis anterior tendon lightly in this image
to show its proximity. Two dimensional depictions of three dimensions is
not always the clearest, but there seems to be connection here.

Following up the Spleen channel, there is a point at the talus. In fact, I just
had to run a double check, but every meridian that runs through the ankle
has a talar acupoint. What does that tell us? “It moves, and it is important,”
is my imposition upon the matter at foot.

The other down fall of 2-D, is the illustration of the great saphenous vein
that is depicted in the illustration. I was looking and searching for a myo-
fascial overlap up the medial shin with the Spleen line, and in turn, found
the saphenous intersection. It clicked an entire series of “Ah-ha’s” and
epiphanies like little lightning bolts within my cranium. I began to see
some of the nature of meridians versus myofascia. However, fascia wraps
everything right? That being true, we must then include vascular supply,
and if we are now looking at yin channels which are receptive, does it not
make sense that the venous return to our core and heart would overlap? It
does to me.

Movement: plantar flexion

Muscles: flexor hallucis longus

Deep Front Line of Fascia through the Knee
The Knee: Deep Front Line of Fascia & the Spleen Meridian

Oh, the knee....ho-hum, the least liked post every time on social media, but
I freaking love it. Following the meridians of myofascia and Chinese chan-
nels through the knees confirmed a lot of my previous thoughts about the
knees. Confirmation bias? I don’t think so, and think I would have down-
loaded the new information with great excitement for sharing.

That being said, we have yet another meridian that just skips right on by
the knee joint. Not one meridian skips the ankle / talus, not one! What I
am learning with the overlapping of these languages is that the acupoints
are placed at important levels of joints, or muscles with other fascial over-
lappings. This is how I found the great saphenous relationship because
nothing else was lining up anatomically. Coincidence?

Is it coincidence then that there are so many acupoints around the talus? A
bone whose placement determines so much for the knee?

My point: the knee is a simple joint that refers a lot of pain and patients to
seek help with their knees, but it is not the knee that is the issue. (Well, it is
not a knee issue at first, until it becomes a knee issue. Then it is a knee issue
when bones begin to collide, but there is always hope.)

Remember, “form follows function.” The knee joint mostly flexes and ex-
tends, and we do not want to see a lot of movement here. I have added
some muscles to the deep front line that help to complete the overlap of
these meridians.

Movement: very minimal medial flexion

Muscles: vastus medials, sartorius, adductors, soleus, flexor digitorum lon-

gus
Deep Front Line of Fascia through the Hip
The Hip: Deep Front Line of Fascia & the Spleen Meridian

I love returning to these images. I see something new almost every time.
Whether it is what the Chinese meant or not, is actually irrelevant, the in-
formation is pertinent. So take a moment, and reflect. What do you see?

As I commented when posted on social media, there is a follow of flow to

the femoral nerves and vascular supply here. However, this time I notice a
comparison to the Stomach channel. Someone commented that the rectus
femoris is a weak hip flexor, and when we look at the stomach channel, it
skips the hips joint. Intrigued? Look at those points on the Spleen channel.
Boom, hip times 2 acupoints!

What are our strongest hip flexors? Did you say iliopsoas? Don’t forget
those adductors we just ran through as well. Hip flexion is important in
gait, but isn’t a lot of that from decelerating and gravity? As I see it, run-
ning, and sprinting specifically, may utilize some strength to flex the hip,
but this is more to, “drive the hammer,” as I have seen it said.

When do we really begin to see deep hip flexion?

What I am alluding to and have found, as you will see if you read on to the
other yin channels, is the fetal position. This is the ultimate embryological
and developmental position: knees to chest, child’s pose, and later in life,
the deep squat (which Dr Beach sees as a position of repose and absent
from “modern living”).

I look forward to getting all of these lines laid out because the next investi-
gations are the meridians THROUGH movements and/or positions.

Muscles: adductors, iliopsoas

Movement: hip flexion

Deep Front Line of Fascia through the Torso
The Torso: Deep Front Line of Fascia & the Spleen Meridian

“Much of the modern approach to the understanding of musculoskeletal

ease and dis-ease is predicated on a cadaveric approach to anatomy. In con-
trast, an emphasis on a whole organism approach to functional anatomy
will suggest new assessment methodologies and inform diverse approaches
to rehabilitation.” -Dr. Phillip Beach

Although anatomists divide the body in to pieces, and I am dividing me-

ridians and myofascia in to pieces to further understand and communicate
about the structure and flow of the human body, I am finding it is how we
connect the pieces that matters the most. In this case, I am literally and fig-
uratively connecting dots that tie it all together.

Dr. Jerry Tennant, author of Healing is Voltage, writes about how he views
the meridians as battery packs for the organs. This pervades my seeing eye
of human anatomy creating a cyclical relationship between muscles and
organs. (Because why wouldn’t it be cyclical if all the rest of existence is
also???)

I feel like the yang channels followed the myofascia in a rather simple man-
ner. Since delving into the spleen, the myofascia is still there, but we have
moved on to follow or align with deeper and more complex systems of
flow. What an interesting reflection of yang / masculine and yin / feminine?

Worth noting here: delving channel locations, and external acupoints in

relationship to the deep front line of fascia. I promise to do an overlapping
comparison of channels and myofascia and joints / segments of the body.

Movement: torso flexion, fetal pose / protection

Muscles: deep abs, psoas, intercostals, (serratus anterior??)

Deep Front Line of Fascia through the Head & Neck
The Head & Neck: Deep Front Line of Fascia & the Spleen Meridian

This is where the light bulbs and my head exploded. How is yours doing?

The end of the Spleen channel is not the little acupoint down on the ser-
ratus anterior, which I included on this image, but the end is at the “lower
surface of the tongue.” Well guess what is included in the deep front line of
fascia? All those deep neck muscles and hyoid-y muscles and your tongue.

First off, all of the yang channels run from cranium to feet. I knew that, but
as I studied the Chinese meridians more, I found that all the yin channels
run from feet to cranium. I really do love poles and polarity, oh my!

Secondly, why here? Why did the Taoists find this connection and then
anatomists semi-concur on the myofascia meridians? Here’s what I found...

Yin is receptive. We begin by receiving everything we need from our moth-

ers through the umbilical cord. Then something happens, a miracle that we
call birth, and we are separated. Reception of life, milk, fuel, food, water,
nutrients et cetera changes from the umbilicus to the mouth, and for us to
receive anything, we must first open our mouths.

So, as I sat drawing, staring and reflecting, I felt my mouth open, and to
open my mouth, I needed these muscles of my neck. Technically, I suppose
I could simply relax my jaw when standing and my jaw would open. How-
ever, let us reflect on infancy. We are not upright and we have to work and
earn that open mouth and latching to our mothers to receive our nutrients
(or a bottle for some). This was the point at which, “Boom goes the dyna-
mite!”

Movement: opening of the mouth / mandibular depression

Muscles: tongue, suprahyoids, digastrics, inferior lateral pterygoid

 Adaptable Polarity
Movement, Muscles & Meridians
Deep Frontline of Fascia & Liver Channel
Illustrated, written & edited by Jordan Terry
Deep Frontline of Fascia and the Yin, Liver Meridian closing the body in reference to the Fetus
Deep Frontline of Fascia & Liver Meridian

In this series, we will be exploring the Movement, Muscles & Meridians of

the Deep Frontline of Fascia. The name of the fascial meridian is mislead-
ing in of itself, in my humble opinion. For one, it implies we need a Deep
Backline of Fascia, which is and was argued in the Urinary Bladder explo-
ration. For two, it is not really the front. It is rather central, or yin.

This is the second of the Yin Meridians to be explored in comparison and

contrast to the Deep Frontline of Fascia (first was the Spleen Meridian). A
thought occurs to denote here: when someone says, “Heads Up!” not one
person looks up. It is a signal to duck and take cover. We cover our vital
organs and insides or “yin” sides to protect ourselves.

The image of the fetus here is a trace from Dr. Phillip Beach’s Muscles and
Meridians book. It depicts how the embryo and development of the myo-
fascia of the pelvic floor intersect and loop in a figure 8 fashion. This will
be explored and followed at the level of the hip and torso in this series. So
very interesting though that we can look at structure of myofascia and see
it in ancient wisdoms of the Chinese meridian system. We are all just mak-
ing it up to understand and explain this magical meat suit, the body.

I have illustrated these energetic and myofascial meridians through ma-

jor sections of the body: foot, knee, hip, torso, and cranium. At each level,
there will be the movements described, the muscle movers, and then trac-
ing the meridians (which will be Lateral Line and Gallbladder throughout
this entire short series). The most interesting part comes in the overlap,
contrast, comparison, and similarities of the two languages talking about
the one human body that we all receive for this crazy spiraling trip around
a giant ball of gas on this spinning rock. Ha! Enjoy!

Invitation: use the movements, muscles and acupoints to explore your own
body and motions
Deep Frontline through the Foot
The Foot: Deep Frontline of Fascia & Liver Meridian

Starting at the feet, the Deep Frontline has only three muscles of the feet.
The Spleen immediately grabs the attention of the Flexor Hallucis Longus
as previously explored, and so that leaves Tibialis Posterior or Flexor Digi-
torum Longus.

Tibialis Posterior actually attaches to the bottom of the foot at the navicu-
lar, the cuneiforms, a little to the cuboid and also a little to the metatarsals.
As depicted in the image on the bottom of the foot, this seems to provide a
datum line for the Liver channel (versus the Kidney), but on the bottom of
the foot! (like a spideman web shot that wraps around the ankle)

The meridian runs superiorly to the toe starting on the lateral aspect of the
big toe atop the foot. This is a truly interesting feature to me as this part of
the foot feels very Yang, and is used regularly to kick things. However, if we
shift our view to movements of the foot and specifically consider the arch,
we begin to see from a new vantage of what it means to be Yin.

The arch of the foot is meant to create an arch AND flatten. It is a shock
absorber receiving the weight of the human. Yin is receptive. I also just
noted in writing this that the diaphragms of the human body pertain to the
Deep Frontline of fascia (arch of foot, back of knee, pelvic floor, breathing
diaphragm, lung dome, mouth, cranium)... Back to the foot, I saw a video
where David Weck talks about the hard and the soft sides of the feet. The
big toe side is the soft side, receptive side, or yin side. They all connect back
to the talus, which floats, versus the calcaneus which is hard and makes
contact. Also worth noting, look at all of those points and where they land
on the structures of the foot. Then, think movement.

Movement: inversion and plantar flexion

Muscles: Tibialis Posterior

Deep Frontline through the Knee
The Knee: Deep Frontline of Fascia & Liver Meridian

Here at the knee, I have added some muscles that are not included in Anat-
omy Trains Deep frontline of fascia. Basically, if it is part of the Pes Anseri-
nus, I included it, and even threw in Semimembranosus because it is deep.

The myofascia and Liver meridians run up the medial shin bone following
that thin line of yin tissue up the calves (most of the calves are considered
yang from shin bone to lateral calves to gastroc’s). However, at the level of
the knee, we see a small swerve or zig, a point below and above, and one
point at the level of the knee joint.

The allocation of the points around joints intrigues me in general. Why are
there so many at the feet? Why are there several mid calf and the Yang me-
ridians here all have zigs? (To which I did find some literature that thinks it
is to do with the major movement of the foot in plantar and dorsi flexion...
like a transition and focal point for the movement) Why do we have three
points at the back of the knee, none on the lateral, one on the medial-ante-
rior, none through the Spleen line, and now a Liver meridian point at the
knee??? (Hint: form follows function)

We also see anatomically a larger epicondyle of the femur medially and

then some little lightning strikes begin to connect in my brain. Though
most of the motion of the knee is in flexion, there is some rotation. There
are arguments as to whether that is internal or external, but really that de-
pends which bone you follow. The muscles added to this myofascial track
help flex and rotate the knee, just a little bit known as the “screw-home”
mechanism. After the knee, we do not see much activity until the hip.

Movement: internal rotation of the femur/external rotation of the tibia

Muscles: adductors, medial hamstrings and muscles of Pes Anserinus

Deep Frontline through the Hip
The Hip: Deep Frontline of Fascia & Liver Meridian

It is not depicted well because mostly I left out the genitals...because I also
thought that a big pile of genitalia would dominate this image, but the cen-
tral portion of the Liver meridian runs down and through the genitals cre-
ating a loop. This loop would then criss-cross if the left and right meridians
were shown creating a figure eight as mentioned on the first page.

I have read in the past, and can quickly find in my Manual of Acupuncture,
that the Liver relates to the genitals. I now can see the form of this ener-
getic loop thanks to Dr. Beach (once again). The musculature of the pelvic
floor can even be traced in such a manner.

Before this, the Liver channel seems to be following the flow of venous re-
turn to the heart with the saphenous vein. That proceeds until about the
level of the hip where there are three points. Again, points on channels are
beginning to symbolize movement to me, and although not directly over
the hip joint, we are locating these over the adductors, which just don’t ad-
duct the hip, but are strong helpers of hip flexion , too (“two-for”).

At about that same level of the saphenous vein joining the femoral vein,
this is where we see the acupoints and the Liver meridian beginning to
follow the myofascia of the adductors. This direction is consistent until
the level of the pubic bone, where it dives through the genitalia and pelvic
floor. A foreshadowing to the Kidney meridian exploration, it is here we
find more of an anterior connection: the “Pee”-gel side of the Kegel.

Movement: adduction and anterior pelvic floor contraction

Muscles: adductors and pelvic floor myofascia

Deep Frontline through the Torso
The Torso: Deep Frontline of Fascia & Liver Meridian

From this view of the torso, we can see the pelvic floor and myofascia con-
nections overlapping with the meridian a little better. We can also see how
the energy channel follows the myofascial channel running deeply inter-
nally before returning back out to the externally accessible acupoints on
the mid torso, liver region.

We do not have acupoints at every level of the spine. In fact, we have the
least of any meridian through the torso, and as I write that I am not even
totally sure as to why! (Stay tuned, I will be doing a complete analysis and
overlapping of each meridian and level of body parts when these are all
compiled together for one awesome book...shameless plug)

Sticking to the theory of acupoints and movement, and if we are connect-

ing dots literally and figuratively, what if we explore the lightest of move-
ments to our ribs and pubic bone?

Well, I feel like I am holding my pee. What say you?

The other interesting point or acupoints about this meridian is that the
external points finish in a framing manner around the large liver organ. I
suppose the Spleen comes back down kind of close, but no other meridian
visually frames the organ quite like this. Yes it is asymmetrical, but what a
coincidence.

Lastly, whereas the Spleen ran up rather centrally (through the heart) and
internally to the cranium / tongue, the Liver runs up laterally as though
connecting that myofascia of the lungs, part of the Deep Frontline.

Movement: posterior pelvic tilt, and anterior kegel

Muscles: deep abdominals, anterior pelvic floor

Deep Frontline through Head & Neck
The Head & Neck: Deep Frontline of Fascia & Liver Meridian

For us to ingest and receive nutrients into the body, we must first make
space. We just so happen to have a hole in our face called a mouth to do
such a thing. As explored in the Spleen channel, this seems to occur here.
So what is the next step? And why does the Liver channel then run up the
throat to the nasopharynx then the back of the lips and then the top of the
cranium? It is depicted in the image as best I could to represent the image
from the Manual of Acupuncture.

Well, after opening comes suckling. This is an extremely important cra-

nio-facial developmental movement. First the baby must find the nipple
and latch to it, but it must also extract nutrients to survive. To suckle a seal
of the lips on the inside must form with the nipple to create the potential
for a pressure change. Once the seal is initiated, the suckling process of ex-
tracting breast milk / fuel / life force can be initiated.

Now for myself, I find when I initiate this suckling I can feel that connec-
tion of the little green Liver line depicted in the image that supposedly runs
to the top of the cranium. What do you feel? Where does the pressure go
when you suckle?

The tongue drops for opening, then lifts with lips to create seal, and I feel
a pull from what would have been my anterior fontanelle. This area of the
cranium remains quite open and spacious for birth and slowly grows to-
gether through infancy to become a point called Bregma. It makes sense
to me that the motion and required movements of feeding, aka suckling,
would have a physical pull in forming, crafting and creating our cranial
structures.

Movement: suckling

Muscles: perioral muscles

 Adaptable Polarity
Movement, Muscles & Meridians
Deep Frontline of Fascia & Kidney Channel
Illustrated, written & edited by Jordan Terry
Deep Frontline of Fascia and the Kidney
Deep Frontline of Fascia & Kidney Meridian

This is the third exploration into the Deep Frontline of Fascia, but this time
overlapped with the Kidney Meridian. Each Chinese meridian has further
unwound the single line of fascia into three rather distinct entities of con-
nectivity. I still stand by “form follows function,” but as with the law of po-
larity, it must flow both ways.

There is a video of a frog embryo online showing the bioelectric nature of

development. The theory and thought goes that these energetic meridians
are the life force that precede gene expression. We then fold out from these
energetic meridians to grow our limbs and body parts. Once the body is
formed, it is then the movement that becomes important for the flow of the
entire system. If there is a law of attraction, then the law of polarity infers
that there is a law of repulsion. Meaning what grows out must contract.

These bioelectric energetic lines then are part of the creation of what Dr.
Beach calls contractile fields, and through the contraction and relaxation
of these fields in combined synchronization, we move through time and
space. This movement generates energy and heat, or piezoelectricity, and
where there is movement we see life, and stagnation pertains to death.

I have illustrated these energetic and myofascial meridians through ma-

jor sections of the body: foot, knee, hip, torso, and cranium. At each level,
there will be the movements described, the muscle movers, and then trac-
ing the meridians (which will be Deep Front Line and Kidney Channel
throughout this entire short series). The most interesting part comes in the
overlap, contrast, comparison, and similarities of the two languages talking
about the one human body that we all receive for this crazy spiraling trip
around a giant ball of gas on this spinning rock. Ha! Enjoy!

Invitation: use the movements, muscles and acupoints to explore your own
body and motions
Deep Frontline of Fascia through the Foot
The Foot: Deep Frontline of Fascia & Kidney Meridian

There are three yin lines and three extrinsic feet muscles as part of the
Deep Frontline of Fascia. I have already explored the Spleen and Liver, and
after those dissections, we are left with Flexor Digitorum Longus. As the
Manual of Acupuncture states, the Kidney meridian actually begins be-
neath the little toe. This is the only muscle that has that connection and it is
therefore not just a process of elimination, but another myofascial and en-
ergetic meridian connection. Coincidence?

The first Kidney point is between the second and third metatarsals of the
foot. It is supposed to be where we receive yin energy, like that from Moth-
er Earth. What interests me here is that it almost feels like a center to the
tetrahedron of the foot and reception of weight into the arch.

Most interesting to this Kidney meridian to my eye, and I would wager

anyone who spends a moment contemplating this image, is the loop at
the posterior ankle. The top of the loop is posterior and “level with the
prominence of the medial malleolus,” or to me, it looks like the top of the
talar dome. The most posterior point of the loop goes back to the edge of
the achilles tendon and from my anatomical delvings, that is it. The low-
est point looks to be on the posterior and medial aspect of the subtalar /
talocalcaneal joint. The final point is between the medial deltoid ligaments
around the level of the subtalar joint again.

What does this all mean??? Well, I really thought a lot of it was going to
be determined by the tibial nerve and vascular supply, but I think I was
wrong. All signs point to relationships between talus and calcaneus and the
importance of movement and distribution of weight here.

Movement: plantar flexion of foot and toes (and calcaneus?)

Muscles: flexor digitorum longus

Deep Frontline of Fasica through the Knee
The Knee: Deep Frontline of Fascia & Kidney Meridian

We will take a quick moment to start to comment on that zig-zag about

one third of the way up the shin. Yet another meridian with a mid calf ma-
neuver! My original hunch, and later found a little literature exploring the
idea and importance of movement. In this case, it is the major movement
of the foot in plantar and dorsi flexion.

There is another point about mid calf until one solitary point at the medial
knee. There are no acupoints anywhere directly below the knee and noth-
ing, not one acupoint, above the knee until the abdomen. This knee point
is located at the medial end of the popliteal crease between the semiten-
dinosus and semimembranosus muscles. I have always seen the popliteal
fossa and back of the knee as part of the deep frontline of fascia, and this is
our first tie to the zone. (remembering the Urinary Bladder channel runs
through the back of the knee)

Semimembranosus is a deeper muscle here that helps flex and medially ro-
tate the tibia. While the hamstrings do flex the knee, they also help extend
the hip. So then if we look down at the foot and its major movement from
the previous image, when does plantar flexion with medial tibial rotation
occur? If I am not mistaken that places us in propulsion phase of gait to
early swing as well. Hmm...

This lone knee acupoint runs posteriorly behind the great saphenous vein,
and as mentioned before, has a popliteal connection. I am just taking a
quick moment here to draw a connection to the diaphragm of the knee. I
find that people who’s knees do not move well, often from hip or foot, have
a dense popliteal fossa feel. Why? Because lymph don’t move if we don’t.

Movement: internal tibial rotation and maybe some knee flexion

Muscles: semimembranosus and popliteus

Deep Frontline of Fasica through the Hip (and pelvic floor)
The Hip: Deep Frontline of Fascia & Kidney Meridian

“Not one single point.” This is what is so interesting to me about the Kid-
ney meridian through the level of the hip. It is the most posterior chan-
nel of the three yin meridians that I have been connecting and running
through the Deep Frontline of Fascia.

What does it mean to not have a single acupoint on this channel as it runs
posteriorly up the inner thigh to the coccyx, up the spine, through the
kidney and down to the bladder before reemerging with acupoints at the
lower abdomen? (that is the channel description from The Manual of Acu-
puncture as to how the Kidney channel progresses through the body)

Well, I am sticking to the theory of movement. Where muscles move, they

produced flow. In this case, we just skip the hip, but do run right to the tip
of the coccyx. In the Liver channel, we explored the connection to the pel-
vic floor and the genitals. If we have kegels, as the contraction of the pelvic
floor, then we have “pee-gels” and “poo-gels” as the anterior and posterior
contractions respectively speaking.

Can you isolate your “pee-gels” and “poo-gels”?? What do you notice in
terms of connectivity to the thigh muscles?

I find the posterior tilt of the pelvis to be the major related movement, very
similar to the Liver (synergistic even), but also validating the inclusion of
the deep hamstring in the deep line of fascia. It is almost as though the
Kidney line runs the space between the adductor magnus and semimem-
branosus connecting us to the ischium and posterior pelvic floor.

Movement: posterior pelvic tilts and posterior kegel (aka poo-gel)

Muscles: adductor magnus, semimembranosus, posterior pelvic floor

The Deep Frontline of Fascia through the Torso
The Torso: Deep Frontline of Fascia & Kidney Meridian

As we finish off the yin meridians, I find it is important to note the number
of acupoints found here. The spleen had a few with an array over the lateral
rib cage, but nothing so prolific as to be at almost every vertebral segment.
The liver had very few points on the torso at all.

So here with the Kidney channel, we have the most posterior and yin chan-
nel on lower body until skipping to the anterior body and to the most cen-
tral line on the body other than the Conception Vessel itself. The Stomach
channel had a similar appearance, but runs more lateral. There is also an
internal channel that runs the anterior spine all the way up into the mouth.

Some thoughts:
-this is a yin channel, so what movements relate if the yang (stomach chan-
nel) claims the torso flexion? What is a full torso receptive movement?
-when looking at the “sinew” channel of this in the Manual of Acupunc-
ture, it shows a huge spine connection.
-if the governing vessel is considered the spine though, then what of the
anterior longitudinal ligament?
-how come there is another skip in acupoints, mid lumbar? Feels similar to
Urinary Bladder channel, mid thoracic.
-if the Spleen seemed to run through the iliopsoas, then Liver through
the upper adductors and anterior pelvic floor, what then is left in the deep
frontline of fascia? Process of elimination, coincidence, or calculated?

Interesting fact that I am finding, all of the diaphragms of the body are
within the deep frontline of fascia. When we exhale, the diaphragm relaxes
and nothing else is needed to provide full torso flexion, lightly.

Movement: torso flexion / exhale?

Muscles: diaphragm
The Deep Frontline of Fascia through Head and Neck
The Head and Neck: Deep Frontline of Fascia & Kidney Meridian

The Kidney channel is the final yin meridian that starts from the feet and
finishes at the cranium. It runs posteriorly through the pelvic floor, also,
runs posteriorly to the back of the tongue. In the craniosacral system, and
even in the respiratory system, the cranium and the pelvis follow each oth-
er. They mirror each other in a way, as well.

Chiropractors have found reactors of the spine and cranium to relate and
reflexively respond off of one another. I have completed, what I have only
seen incompletely illustrated, the map of cranio-sacral reactors. It only
makes sense that the intake and excretion diaphragms should also relate,
and if we have been paying attention, we can now connect the dots of the
myofascia and meridians.

The Kidney channel terminates at the tongue. After watching swallowing

videos, I assume it is the area of the tongue that completes the swallowing.
I say assume because I really can not say for certain, but let us review the
previous two meridians.

-Spleen terminates over the lower surface of the tongue, runs much more
anteriorly, suggesting opening of the mouth
-Liver goes behind the lips to the top of the cranium suggesting the suc-
tioning effect and suckling of infants.

And then we have Kidney, to the “root of the tongue” in the Manual of
Acupuncture, and therefore, the completion of reception of nutrients into
our bodies to assimilate for fuel and nutrients. When researching swallow-
ing, it is the movement of the “bolus” posteriorly.

Movement: swallowing, maybe some deep neck flexion

Muscles: hyoid and pharyngeal muscles

 Adaptable Polarity
Movement, Muscles & Meridians
Arm Lines of Fascia & Chinese Meridians
Illustrated, written & edited by Jordan Terry
Movement Exploration: pinky finger to inferior-anterior portion of shoulder blade
Movement, Muscles, & Meridians: Deep Front Arm Line of Fascia & the
Heart Channel

This fascial line runs from the pinky and ulnar side of the arm through the
medial triceps to the rotator cuff muscles. It was something I uncovered
accidentally and found interesting, but the Subscapularis (pictured here)
and the Infraspinatus (pictured in the next image) create divergent paths.
That is to say, “Two paths in One.” As we will see in the next image, there
are two Chinese meridians running off the pinky finger.

When we follow this fascia on the yin side and connect it with the heart
meridian, there is a pathway following along the Axillary and Basilic ve-
nous return lines. I discussed this yin connection to receptivity in other
Meridians exploring and contrasting the direction of blood flow back to
the heart correlating to yin meridians.

It must be noted in Applied Kinesiology, the Heart Meridian is associated

with the Subscapularis and both the Heart and Subscapularis have very
similar pain referral patterns. This fascinates me, but it is not something we
see on every muscle and meridian. Why not? I need to delve deeper!

Also worth noting are all of those acupoints down by the wrist. This is
not where pulses are measured (although a pulse can be felt), but it is an
interesting pair to the Lung line. Anatomically, it is the Radial vascular
supply that most people measure one’s pulse off of, and the mirrored Lung
acupoints in Chinese medicine. The lung and heart are not just intimate-
ly linked through proximal location but the diaphragm connection to
breathing. Both the lungs and heart react and relate to the pulse of the dia-
phragm.

In terms of movement, the myofascia contracts into a very protective pos-

ture internally rotating the shoulder with adduction of the arm and ulnar
deviation of the wrist. Try it and see how you feel.
Movement Exploration: pinky finger to inferior-posterior shoulder blade
Movement, Muscles, & Meridians: Deep Back Arm Line & the Small Intes-
tine Channel

Here is the aforementioned shared pinky line, but we notice the deviation
and differences: side of pinky, side of forearm, pathway through triceps,
side of the shoulder blade, and then pathway to the cranium.

You will notice through these arm lines that all of the yin lines begin in the
shoulder and finish at the hand, while the yang lines begin at the finger tips
and finish on the cranium. Remembering yang is active and in terms of
polarity, “push.” Yin is receptive and in terms of polarity, “pull.”

This turns my attention towards the culmination of these yang lines, as we

see this line finish at the anterior ear or Temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
The acupoint before that is right below the eye, and a potential hyoid point
just before that one. How does that translate? Most likely in getting us to
turn our heads, a relationship to sound and site, and then there is the hyoid
bone (the little gyroscope bone uniquely connected to only muscles).

If we follow the rest of the myofascia, we find Levator Scapula one of the
main movers of the neck connecting through both structure and flow, and
the subject of turning our heads. We then can see the biggest zig-zag of the
arm lines running over the posterior aspect of the shoulder blade linking
the rotator cuff muscles (except for subscapularis, already discussed).

Finally, the Small Intestine line is a bit more on the extensor-ulnar side of
the arm, and therefore, I feel like the entire line is completed by looking
and reaching for something behind us. In modern times, this would be
sitting in the front seat of a vehicle and trying to look back and reach for
something in the back seat. It is becoming a lost zone of movement. Mod-
ernization has brought everything to our anterior zone of our bodies.

What movements behind us served our evolutionary development?

Movement Exploration: thumb to coracoid
Movement, Muscles, & Meridians: Deep Front Arm Line of Fascia & the
Lung Channel

These overlapping meridians are the most similar of all the arm lines. The
myofascia and energetic channels follow each other beautifully. Thumb to
coracoid whether on the structure or flow of the lines, they align.

When exploring the myofascia, all things coracoid seem to be related to the
Lung channel. The first two acupoints are just medial to the coracoid pro-
cess and in the first two intercostal spaces. Just underneath are the axillary
vascular supply, but as I zoomed in to compare, there seems to be a larger
venous return connection on a yin line then anything else.

The Cephalic vein (not shown here) seems to match the Lung line as it
runs from a medial location to the coracoid, down through the biceps, and
onto the radial aspect into the cubital fossa. From there it runs down to the
wrist until skipping to the Radial vascular supply. Both the Radial vein and
artery run parallel along the humerus here down to where pulses are mea-
sured. Finally, we could follow a branch right onto the thumb. Beautiful.

Lung 2 is the second point at the shoulder, slightly higher and between the
first intercostal space. When looking at the anatomy, it seems to be over the
Axillary vein. I mention this only because of a growing theory of mine:
-We are contained bags of water (more similar to salt water than pure
H20), and the displacement of said water is determinate of how we feel.

If we do not have blood flow, we do not feel. If we have pain, it is most like-
ly a problem but also indicative that somewhere else is not being sensed
and there is a lack of proprioception and awareness.

So, if we are to push on these spots, we restrict major blood flow causing a
back up of venous supply and a change of pressure to the local and global
system. Ever pinch the end of a hose? What happens?
Movement Exploration: index finger to acromioclavicular joint / clavicle
Movement, Muscles, & Meridians: Superficial Back Arm Line of Fascia &
the Large Intestine Channel

My Tui Na instructor taught me something that has always stuck, one of

those weird but works for remembering anecdotes. The large intestine
is stinky and it finishes at the opposite side of the nose. If you imagine a
world before the bountiful abundance of toilet paper, and you didn’t have
something good to wipe. When you sniffed that finger, “Pee-ew! What’s
that horrible smell?!”

I mention for two reasons. One it still cracks me up and I remember, but
the second is looking at this line connecting to the nose. We have men-
tioned and explored the lines around ears, and the eyes even more so.
However, one of the stinkiest organs of the body has a direct connection to
the nose. Interesting!

Not only does the pathway transit to the nose, but also to the lips. There is
a similar pattern seen in the Liver channel to the inside of the lips, the yin-
side. Two major removers of toxins in the body, Liver and Large Intestine,
also share pathways to our big intake portal of the mouth. Doubly interest-
ing!

If we follow this meridian myofascially, it starts on the index finger travel-

ing up the back of the hand and the forearm. Along the upper arm it looks
to run in the lateral space between biceps and triceps around the level of
the lateral intermuscular septum to the insertion of the deltoid. If I start
putting these movements together: wrist extension, radial deviation, shoul-
der abduction and some lateral neck flexion. It begins to look like an ulnar
nerve floss.

Added myofascia of the cranium, some things I cannot find in Anatomy

Trains and found here: platysma, nose and lip muscles.
Movement Exploration: middle finger to glenohumeral joint
Movement, Muscles, & Meridians: Superficial Front Arm Line of Fascia &
the Pericardium / Circulation-Sex Channel

It is uncanny the relationship between myofascia and energetic meridians.

Look at the curved line at the arm pit! I did not try to force anything here,
nor do I ever because that is not interesting to me. We won’t learn that way.
Here we have the pectoralis major traveling laterally to its insertion paired
with the biceps creating the same arc as the Pericardium channel.

The first point is intriguing to me as it seems like an odd location between

deep and superficial. There feels to me a bit of pectoralis major attachment
around that 4th intercostal space, so there is that myofascially speaking.
There is also the height of the heart and the muscle of the pericardium
inferiorly right around that fifth rib. Then in the Manual of Acupuncture,
there is a connection to the nipple and the breast. Hmm?

As we continue down the arm, the two lines traverse parallel with the en-
ergetic channel flowing in the space between the bicep heads until the cu-
bital fossa. The flexor compartment of the forearm runs right along with
the Pericardium channel into the palm of the hand. Finally, the myofascia
channel spreads through the digits while the energetic channel chooses a
median route to the very tip of the middle finger.

Another thing that fascinates me about Chinese and Western medicine

exists on this exact overlap of meridians. Pericardium 6 is the first point
located above wrist in this image. It is said to help with nausea and vom-
iting in the Chinese texts, and is also widely utilized in Western medicine,
as well. Nurses utilize this with pregnant women and nausea wrist bands
are worn and target this are of the body. Why is there this acceptance and
knowledge of this point??? And so much denial elsewhere???

I also love Pericardium 8 at the center of the hand considered a chi-gate.

We build the world and feed ourselves and need to move chi to do it.
Movement Exploration: Ring finger to superior shoulder blade
Movement, Muscles, & Meridians: Superficial Back Arm Line & the Triple
Warmer / Heater / Burner (aka Sanjiao) Channel

The myofascial track of this line begins at the back of the hand traveling up
through the extensor group crosses the elbow, traverses the triceps through
the deltoid and upper trapezius. The Anatomy Train culminates there,
and is the major difference between the two ways of looking at the human
body.

However, when overlapping other layers of myofascia and this particular

meridian, there is a point proximal to the top of the shoulder blade that
seems to follow the Omohyoid muscle’s path through the neck. Omohyoid
attaches to the superior angle of the shoulder blade and the hyoid bone.
This crosses around or through the Sternocleidomastoid muscle before cir-
cling around the ear and finishing at the eye.

Whether making it up or stumbling across something, the coincidences of

the Chinese meridian system seem all too not coincidental. So let us begin
to explore the movement of these lines and see what is uncovered.

The energetic meridian culminates at the edge of the brow. There is actually
a small anterior auricular muscle here that creates a myofascial connec-
tion, but first, I want you to begin by lifting an eyebrow. Then pair that with
looking in the same direction. What happens? Does your ear open? What if
you heard a sound behind you? What happens to your body? Begin to feel
rotation and notice what your shoulder and arm want to do.

The head leads the way. This is a common teaching across many different
sports, especially pertinent to my life with surfing. The eyes actually begin
most movements, and we saw through the major Yang lines that run from
cranium to feet that they all begin at the eye. What is beyond my training,
is why is this reflexive movement related to your heat regulation meridi-
an??? (Triple Burner/ Heater is not an organ but temperature management)