Free Printable Acupressure Points Chart and Foot Map, in Large Print
Most free acupressure charts are printed too small to read. Here are two large-print ones, free by email. My Home Pressure Point Handbook has 30 points, one page and photo each. The Foot Map shows seven spots along the inside edge of the foot. The short chart below needs no sign-up.
Quick answer: where it aches, where to press
Every row links to a full page with a photo. Sit down for all of them. One to three minutes a spot, both sides. Hunt for the spot that stings. That's the one. Stay on it.
| Where it aches | Where to press |
|---|---|
| Lower back | The middle of the crease behind the knee, between the two cords — Weizhong (BL40) |
| Lower back, when bending is hard | The outer edge of the hand, where the palm crease ends — Houxi (SI3) |
| Knees, on stairs or after sitting | The two dimples under the kneecap, either side of the tendon — Dubi (ST35) and Neixiyan (EX-LE4) |
| Outer knee, hip and side of the leg | The soft dip below the bony knob on the outer knee — Yanglingquan (GB34) |
| Neck and tops of the shoulders | The top of the shoulder ridge, halfway between neck and shoulder tip — Jianjing (GB21). Skip if pregnant |
| Shoulder, an arm that won't lift | The back of the forearm, three fingers above the wrist, between the bones — Waiguan (TE5) |
| Stiff fingers in the morning | The outer edge of each finger web, where dark skin meets palm skin — Baxie (EX-UE9) |
| Headache across the forehead | Between the inner ends of the eyebrows — Yintang (GV29) |
| Calf cramps, tight calves | The middle of the calf, where the muscle ends and the tendon begins — Chengshan (BL57) |
| Aching heels, tired legs | The hollow between the inner ankle bone and the heel tendon — Taixi (KI3) |
| Woken in the night | The wrist crease, little-finger end, beside a small round bone — Shenmen (HT7). Before bed, not at 3 a.m. |
To print this chart, use your browser's print button on this page. Each point page above prints the same way.
What is in each free guide
The two guides are easy to mix up, so here they are side by side.
| The Home Pressure Point Handbook | The Foot Map | |
|---|---|---|
| What it covers | 30 points, from the crown of the head down to the sole of the foot | 7 spots along the inside edge of the foot, and the order to press them in |
| Best for | Aches that move around: back, knees, neck, hands, headaches, cramps, heels, broken nights | A lower back and spine that ache, worked from the foot while you sit |
| Layout | One page and one photo per point, plus a "find your point by ache" table | Large print, the spine line on the foot explained step by step |
| Length | 91 pages | 50 pages |
| How you get it | By email, from theneuroreset.com/handbook | By email, from theneuroreset.com/free-map |
| Printing | Prints on an ordinary home printer | Prints on an ordinary home printer, in black and white |
Both are free. There is nothing to pay and nothing to cancel. If you use the computer only now and then, forward the email to a son or daughter and let them print it.
How to use the chart
Pick the row that matches the ache that bothers you most. Start with one or two places, not all eleven.
- Find the area. Use the bones and creases in the chart. You don't need to land on a pinhead.
- Search for the tender spot. Move your fingertip slowly around the area. One spot will feel a little sharper than the rest.
- Make small, slow circles on it. About one minute at first, building to two or three over the next days. Then the other side.
Sit in a firm chair or on the edge of the bed for every one of them. Nothing on this chart needs the floor or kneeling.
Can I print it without giving my email?
Yes, this page and every point page print straight from your browser, with no sign-up. The two longer guides come by email, because they are files too large to show on one page.
I send the guide, then an occasional short note on using it. One click stops them. I never share your address.
Places to leave alone
A chart cannot see you, so here are the cautions that come with these points.
- If you are pregnant, skip the top of the shoulder and the outer ankle points, and the point above the inner ankle that many charts show.
- Skip broken skin, rashes, bruises, swelling, bulging veins and recent surgery scars.
- Behind the knee, use light pressure only, and move off if you feel a pulse.
- On blood thinners, use feather-light pressure and ask your doctor first.
When to see a doctor instead of using a free acupressure points chart
A chart is for everyday aches. See your doctor first if the pain is new or getting worse week by week, or comes with a fever. The same goes for weight loss you can't explain, or a joint that is hot, red and swollen.
Weakness in a leg, or trouble controlling your bladder or bowels together with back pain, is urgent. Call for help the same day.
For a medical view of the research on pressure points, read the NIH overview of acupuncture. Acupressure uses the same points, with less research behind it.
A tool for the spots your hands can't reach
Some rows on the chart are easy with a thumb. Others are hard: the heel when your back is stiff, the knee dimples when your thumbs are sore.
Where does it ache most for you: back, knees, neck, hands or feet? One word is fine. If the answer changes from day to day, the Whole-Body Home Kit is the one I would choose. It has a shape for each job. A round-ended stick, and a wooden stick that sits in your palm. A comb for the back of the neck, and three wooden sticks for the arch, knees and ankles.
It is $67.99 with free shipping, and every press-along video I have made so far comes with it. Your hands get tired. The tool doesn't. No pressure, though. The chart and the free guides work on their own.
What This Won't Do
A chart won't tell you why something hurts. That is your doctor's job, and nothing here replaces anything your doctor has given you.
What it gives you is a place to start, sitting down, with your own hands. Each point page also says when to leave that point alone. The full library is at all pressure points.
Questions people ask about a free acupressure points chart
Where can I get a free printable acupressure points chart? The chart on this page prints from your browser with no sign-up. For a longer one, my free Home Pressure Point Handbook (30 points, one page and photo each) comes by email from theneuroreset.com/handbook.
Is there a free foot reflexology map I can print? Yes. The Foot Map is a free 50-page large-print guide to seven spots along the inside edge of the foot. It comes by email from theneuroreset.com/free-map and prints in black and white.
Which acupressure points are used for chronic pain? It depends on where it aches. Behind the knee for the lower back, the two dimples under the kneecap for knees, the top of the shoulder for the neck. The table above matches each ache to one place.
Are the guides really free? Yes. You give an email address and the guide arrives. There is nothing to pay and nothing to cancel.
Can I use the chart if I'm pregnant? Ask your doctor or midwife first. Several common points are traditionally avoided in pregnancy, and the chart marks the ones on this page.
I have spent fifteen years studying traditional Vietnamese medicine, and I write about things you can do for yourself at home, sitting down.
This is general wellness education, not medical advice. It is not a substitute for care from your doctor. If you have a health condition, are pregnant, or take medication, check with your doctor first.
(Points shown: BL40 Weizhong, SI3 Houxi, ST35 Dubi, EX-LE4 Neixiyan, GB34 Yanglingquan, GB21 Jianjing, TE5 Waiguan, EX-UE9 Baxie, GV29 Yintang, BL57 Chengshan, KI3 Taixi, HT7 Shenmen.)