Muscles Associated With Meridians

The following is based upon the work of the late US chiropractor Dr George Goodheart Jr. Dr Goodheart connected his understanding of the musclature of the body with that of Traditional Chinese Medicine. So that he linked muscle strength or weakness to specific meridian flows as shown below and also developed a system of using points on the body for diagnosis or treatment of energy flows that we now know as Applied Kinesiology. For me, this work was the missing piece connecting the more esoteric aspects of energy anatomy with the physical.

Tolle Causam

The first rule of natural medicine is Tolle Causam or ‘Remove the cause’.

This chart can be used to locate weak or painful muscles and identify the meridian that they are associated with. Unless there has been some sort of trauma or overexertion, then more often than not, pain in the muscles is associated with meridian flows.

For example, upper neck and shoulder pain is a common finding in fibromyalgia. Using the chart below the trapezius muscle can be seen to be related to the Spleen meridian, which governs the immune system (which is also greatly disrupted in fibromyalgia) and that it is this underlying issue which needs addressing in order to permanently resolve the chronic neck pain.

This means that welcome though some physical therapies might be, unless and until the immune system issues are resolved, that neck and shoulder pain may become chronic. Chronic pelvic pain is also often a hallmark of chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia and as can be seen from the chart, the iliacus and psoas muscles internally within the pelvis are associated with the Kidney meridian. The kidneys are under particular stress in CFS/fibromyalgia excreting toxins in general and mercury in particular and this may be the underlying cause.

Meridian pain

Also when detoxifying, you may notice sharp pains which you can identify from the Meridians Reference page, but you also may find you get cramps or tension in particular muscles. For example, cramp in the calves is a fairly common complaint and as this chart shows both the gastrocnemius and the soleus muscles of the calves are related to the Bladder meridian which is also put under great stress during detoxification (and particularly if primarily using a urinary method of excretion of toxins). So this gives you a tool to understand your body and symptoms.

In fact, I would go so far as to say that the muscles of the body are superficial, non-critical ‘pressure valves’ for the internal organs which have to be kept working at all costs.

Dental work and meridians

You may also want to identify any dental work eg: a metal crown or implant and the associated meridian using the Interactive Tooth-Meridian chart.

For example, if a wisdom tooth was extracted this may have formed a cavitation within the bone (95% of the time). As can be seen from the chart the wisdom teeth lie on the Heart meridian so this means that any heart problems may be attributable to the extraction of one or more of the wisdom teeth particularly if the dates tie up (in that the heart problem occurred after the extraction). This also means that persistent or recurrent shoulder pain or weakness (due to subscapularis tension or laxity) may also be indirectly associated with the extraction site and an indicator of an underlying heart issue.

These relationships have often been shown to be the case, but sometimes removal of a root filled tooth, for example, will resolve other chronic or longstanding issues in a less predictable fashion.

MERIDIAN	LOCATION	FUNCTION
CENTRAL	Supraspinatus	This muscle helps in moving the arm away from the body and in holding the arm into the shoulder socket.
GOVERNING	Teres major	This muscle in the back of the shoulder draws the arm in and keeps it turned out.
STOMACH	Pectoralis major clavicular	Pectoralis major clavicular refers to the upper fibres of the muscle illustrated. This muscle helps to bend and turn the arm at the shoulder.
STOMACH	Anterior neck flexors	These muscles are found in the front and sides of the neck. Weakness can cause curvature of the upper spine and neck causing headaches and shoulder tension.
STOMACH	Levator scapulae	The levator scapulae muscles in the the back of the shoulder and neck are often weak causing the neck to twist.
STOMACH	Brachioradialis	This muscle flexes the elbows and helps turn the wrist. Weakness of this muscle can make it difficult to lift the arm up and behind the back.
SPLEEN	Latissimus dorsi	This muscle holds the shoulder down and keeps the back straight. A weak muscle on one side can show up as a raised shoulder.
SPLEEN	Trapezius	This is one of the muscles that keeps the shoulder blades in and turned out.
SPLEEN	Triceps	These muscles on the backs of the arms help in straightening the elbow.
SPLEEN	Opponens pollicis longus	This muscle is involved in gripping using the thumb. Weakness of this muscle can lead to ‘tennis elbow’.
HEART	Subscapularis	As the name suggests, this muscle is below the scapula and allows the shoulder blade to turn the arm and draw the arm in when raised above the shoulder.
SMALL INTESTINE	Quadriceps	These muscles straighten the knee and flex the thighs. Weakness can result in difficulty climbing the stairs, getting up from sitting down and knee pain.
SMALL INTESTINE	Abdominals	These muscles help keep the internal organs in place. Weakness can result in low back pain.
BLADDER	Peroneus	This lower leg muscle flexes the side of the foot upward and out. Weakness will cause the foot to turn in and can produce foot and ankle problems.
BLADDER	Sacrospinalis	These muscles run adjacent to the spine. Weakness on one side will cause sideways curvature of the back, back pain, poor posture and possibly shoulder and elbow problems.
BLADDER	Anterior and posterior tibials	These muscles flex the foot out and up. Weakness can cause flat feet or fallen arches.
KIDNEY	Psoas	These muscles help keep the lumbar curve in the spine. Weakness on one side will cause the hip to drop or the foot to turn in on the affected side. Can also cause low back/pelvic pain.
KIDNEY	Iliacus	These muscles if weak can cause a problem with the ileocaecal valve (the valve that regulates flow of chyme from small to large intestine), low back or shoulder pain.
KIDNEY	Upper trapezius	This refers to the upper fibres of the muscle illustrated. This muscle tilts the head and pulls the shoulder blade in.
CIRCULATION-SEX	Gluteus medius	These muscles pull the leg out and rotate the leg. Weakness can lead to bowed legs and a limp.
CIRCULATION-SEX	Piriformis	These hip muscles are important to posture. The hip rotator allows the leg to move outward when seated. Weakness on one side can cause the sacrum to twist causing knock knees and the ankle on that side to turn in. Piriformis issues can also cause sciatica.
CIRCULATION-SEX	Adductors	These muscles help hold the thigh in flexing and rotating it inward. Weakness can make the pelvis tilt forward.
CIRCULATION-SEX	Gluteus maximus	These large muscles stabilise the lower back, extend the thigh and help pull the leg in. Weakness on one side will cause the pelvis to twist. Weakness on both sides makes walking difficult.
TRIPLE WARMER	Teres minor	These shoulder muscles rotate the arm and forearm and can be involved in elbow and wrist problems. Weakness on one side will cause the arms to hang unevenly by the side.
TRIPLE WARMER	Gracilis	This muscle works with sartorius and hamstrings. It is used to bend the knee when lying down. Weakness makes it difficult to flex the knee without involving the hip.
TRIPLE WARMER	Gastrocnemius	This calf muscle works with the soleus in flexing the foot and lower part of the leg. Weakness can cause hyperextension of the knee, the inability to rise on the toes and may interfere with knee bending.
TRIPLE WARMER	Sartorius	These thigh muscles flex the leg and thigh and turn the thigh sideways. Weakness will cause the pelvis to twist causing knock knees and unstable knee joints.
TRIPLE WARMER	Soleus	This calf muscle flexes the foot and lower part of the leg stabilising the foot. Weakness may cause a forward lean.
GALL BLADDER	Anterior deltoid	This muscle along with coracobrachialis is used in flexing the shoulder with the elbow bent (eg: brushing hair).
GALL BLADDER	Popliteus	This muscle turns the foot and knee in and flexes the leg. Weakness can cause knee pain, hyper-extension of the knees and may make bending the knee difficult or painful.
LIVER	Pectoralis major sternal	The lower fibres of the muscle illustrated are responsible for moving the arm in and turning and drawing it forward.
LIVER	Rhomboids	These muscles pull in and turn the shoulder blade.
LUNG	Anterior serratus	These muscles draw the shoulder blade forward and raise the ribs. Weakness makes it difficult to push things forwards with the arms straight and can affect breathing.
LUNG	Deltoids	These muscles draw the arm away from the body and lift the elbow. Weakness makes it difficult to raise the arm.
LUNG	Coracobrachialis	This works with the anterior deltoid to straighten the arm when it is held over the head and in flexing the shoulder with the elbow bent (eg: brushing hair).
LUNG	Diaphragm	The diaphragm is the main muscle used in breathing. Weakness can cause breathing difficulties, hiccups, and reduce breath holding time.
LARGE INTESTINE	Fascia lata	These muscles help flex or bend the thighs drawing them away from the body sideways. Weakness may result in bowed legs.
LARGE INTESTINE	Quadratus lumborum	This muscle flexes the spine and draws it toward the hip. It also assists in breathing. It is a major stabilising muscle of the lower back. Weakness on one side will show in elevation of the ribs on the affected side and lumbar curvature.
LARGE INTESTINE	Hamstrings	These muscles in the back of the thigh flex the leg and turn the leg sideways when the knee is bent. Weakness cause bow legs or knock knees.

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For more information about energy management refer to the book Energy Medicine: How to Balance Your Body’s Energies for Optimum Health and Vitality by Donna Eden. Click the appropriate link below for UK and US Amazon.

Energy Medicine book cover