The quiet guardian of the sacral region. Zhonglvshu (BL-29) sits deep in the lower back, tending to the muscles along the spine and supporting the functions of the lower body — a steady, local point for pain, stiffness and urogenital difficulty.
Name & story
The name 中膂俞 Zhonglvshu carries a simple but vivid meaning: 中 (zhōng) means "middle", 膂 (lǚ) refers to the muscles running alongside the spine — the deep paraspinal muscles — and 俞 (shū) means a "transporting point", a place where the Qi of an organ or region is poured into the body's surface. Put together, the name says: "the Shu point of the middle spine muscles". It points to exactly where it lives — nestled beside the sacrum, at the very heart of the back's muscular column. There is something reassuring in a name so honest about its location and purpose.
Point family & character
BL-29 belongs to the Bladder Meridian (BL), the great channel that runs the full length of the back. It sits in the group of sacral Back-Shu points — points on the inner Bladder line that reflect and treat the organs and structures of the lower body. Like its neighbours, it acts as a doorway through which Qi and influence flow between the surface and the deeper interior.
Location
BL-29 is found on the sacrum, 1.5 Cun lateral to the midline, at the level of the third sacral foramen (S3) — just one level below its neighbour Pangguangshu (BL-28), which sits at S2.
Anatomy & fascia
The point lies over the posterior sacral region, in the area of the paraspinal (erector spinae) muscles alongside the sacrum.
Needling
The needle is inserted perpendicularly, straight into the tissue.
Safe depth
0.8–1.2 Cun.
Moxa, cupping & Tui Na
Moxa and warming therapies suit this point well, especially when Cold or Dampness is lodged in the lower back and sacral region. Local massage and Tui Na over the sacral area can complement needling for stiffness and muscular pain.
Functions
Relaxes the sinews and relieves pain in the lumbar and sacral region. Supports the lower back and strengthens the local muscles alongside the spine. Regulates the lower Jiao and assists with urogenital function.
Indications
Lower back pain and stiffness, especially in the sacral and lumbar area. Rigidity or tension in the muscles running along the spine. Hernia. Urinary difficulty or discomfort.
Point combinations
Naturally paired with neighbouring sacral Shu points — such as Pangguangshu (BL-28) at S2 and Baohuang (BL-53) — when treating lower back pain, sacral stiffness or urogenital complaints. As a local point, it works alongside BL-23 (Shenshu) to address weakness and pain in the lumbar-sacral region.
Clinical spotlight
BL-29 is a quietly useful local point — not one of the famous command points of Chinese medicine, but reliable and well-placed for what it does. Its position right beside the third sacral foramen makes it a natural choice whenever pain or tension is centred in the mid-sacral region. Practitioners often reach for it as part of a local cluster of sacral and lumbar Back-Shu points, rather than as a stand-alone prescription, and in that role it earns its place every time.
The golden tip
If you carry tension or aching deep in the sacral area, gentle pressure or warmth applied to the mid-sacrum — roughly at the level of the dimples in the lower back — can bring some ease. A warm pack held over the sacrum for several minutes is a simple home comfort, especially in cold or damp weather when the lower back tends to stiffen most.
For education only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified practitioner.