Steve Bailey Acupuncture CPD Training Courses

25/04/2026

Picking up our numbers in Inverness for tomorrow’s Etape Loch Ness bike ride 🚴‍♂️

Really looking forward to getting out on the bike and taking in the views around Loch Ness. I still can’t quite believe there’s snow on the hills at this time of year!

Wishing everyone taking part in the London Marathon tomorrow the very best of luck too. Whether you’re cycling, running or supporting, have a fantastic weekend of sport.

23/04/2026

GB-41 for lateral ankle, cuboid and hip-related pain

Lateral ankle pain is not always just an ankle problem.
When patients present with symptoms around the sinus tarsi, cuboid region, lateral ankle, dorsolateral foot or even lateral hip, it is important to think beyond the painful area and assess the whole lower-limb chain.
GB-41, Zulinqi, is located on the dorsum of the foot between the 4th and 5th metatarsals. Clinically, it can be a useful acupuncture point when symptoms follow a Gall Bladder channel distribution, particularly around the lateral foot, ankle, leg and hip.

In practice, I may consider GB-41 when assessing and treating:
• Lateral ankle pain
• Sinus tarsi syndrome
• Cuboid syndrome-type symptoms
• Lateral column foot pain
• Peroneal-related pain patterns
• Hip pain with lateral chain involvement
However, the key is not simply choosing a point.

A good outcome depends on identifying the contributing factors, such as:
• Foot posture and lateral column loading
• Subtalar joint mechanics
• Cuboid mobility
• Peroneal muscle function and active/latent trigger points
• Calf strength and control
• Intrinsic muscle function
• Hip stability and gait mechanics
• Footwear and orthotic needs

This is why acupuncture becomes far more effective when combined with lower-limb biomechanical assessment, gait analysis, exercise rehabilitation, joint mobilisation, soft tissue manipulation and clinical reasoning.

If you are a clinician wanting to improve your confidence in assessing and managing lower-limb MSK conditions, join the Lower-Limb MSK and Biomechanics Mastery Membership.

👉 https://stevebaileyacupuncture.thinkific.com/bundles/lower-limb-msk-and-biomechanics-mastery

This is why acupuncture becomes far more effective when combined with lower-limb biomechanical assessment, gait analysis, exercise rehabilitation, joint mobilisation, soft tissue manipulation and clinical reasoning.

21/04/2026

National Feet Week: Why every MSK clinician should understand foot health
“Foot pain is rarely just local. It changes gait, loading and recovery throughout the lower limb.”
As MSK clinicians, we often see patients with knee, hip, back or running-related injuries where the foot is playing a much bigger role than they realise.
Forefoot pain, plantar heel pain, stress injuries, neuropathy and altered foot mechanics can all influence how a patient walks, loads, compensates and recovers.
That is why foot health knowledge should be part of every clinician’s toolkit — whether you are a podiatrist, physiotherapist, sports therapist, acupuncturist or MSK practitioner.
A sound understanding of lower-limb biomechanics can help you:
• Identify whether foot mechanics are contributing to injury
• Assess gait, loading patterns and footwear more effectively
• Understand the link between forefoot, rearfoot, knee, hip and back symptoms
• Improve treatment planning for heel pain, metatarsalgia, stress injuries and neuropathic presentations
• Combine approaches such as acupuncture, orthotics, exercise rehab, shockwave and manual therapy more confidently
At Steve Bailey Acupuncture Academy, our lower-limb training is designed to help clinicians bridge the gap between podiatry, physiotherapy, acupuncture and MSK rehabilitation.
Explore the Lower Limb MSK and Biomechanics Membership, Lower Limb Biomechanics, Soft Tissue Manipulation, Joint Mobilisation, Shockwave Therapy, and Foundation in Podiatric Medical Acupuncture and more.
Learn more: https://stevebaileyacupuncture.thinkific.com/bundles/lower-limb-msk-and-biomechanics-mastery

16/04/2026

Myofascial trigger points in the forefoot may mimic plantar plate tears.

In some cases, a plantar plate tear may also be associated with an active trigger point in the lumbricals, contributing to pain, guarding and altered toe mechanics. One point I often consider in this presentation is Liver 3, particularly as part of a broader treatment approach aimed at reducing pain and improving foot function.

Clinical management may include:

acupuncture
dry needling where appropriate
trigger point treatment to the lumbricals
taping or offloading
footwear advice
load modification
exercise rehabilitation to improve foot control

The key is accurate assessment. Treat the plantar plate, the surrounding soft tissues, and the biomechanical factors driving overload.

Want to build more confidence in lower limb assessment, biomechanics, acupuncture, dry needling and rehabilitation?

Join the Lower-Limb MSK and Biomechanics Membership:
https://stevebaileyacupuncture.thinkific.com/bundles/lower-limb-msk-and-biomechanics-mastery

14/04/2026

Lateral foot pain is not always true cuboid syndrome.

Sometimes the symptoms can be driven by myofascial trigger points in the muscles on the top of the foot, particularly the extensor digitorum brevis or extensor hallucis brevis. These trigger points may refer pain around the lateral forefoot and cuboid region, creating a very similar clinical picture.
This is why a detailed assessment matters.

When trigger points are contributing to the pain, treatment may include:
• ischaemic compression
• dry needling
• load modification
• footwear advice
• rehabilitation to address the underlying cause

The key is not just treating the painful area, but identifying why those tissues have become overloaded in the first place.
Accurate diagnosis leads to better treatment choices and better outcomes.

12/03/2026

Kidney health matters to everyone, because when the kidneys are under strain, people can experience symptoms that show up in the legs and feet: lower-limb oedema (swelling), cramps, and neuropathy-type symptoms.

Important: self-pressure points (acupressure) can be a useful add-on for comfort and circulation alongside medical care, but they don’t replace assessment, diagnosis, or treatment.

A simple self-acupressure routine (2–4 minutes)

Use firm but comfortable pressure (no bruising), 30–45 seconds per point, slow breathing, repeat 1–3x per day.

1) For lower-limb oedema and heaviness
• SP-9 (inside of the knee, just below the joint line)
• ST-36 (4 finger-widths below the kneecap, slightly to the outside of the shin)
• KI-7 (2–3 finger-widths above the inner ankle bone)

Pair it with: ankle pumps and a short walk and leg elevation (if advised by your clinician).

2) For calf and foot cramps
• UB-57 (mid-calf, where the muscle “bulges”)
• GB-34 (on the outside of the leg, just below the knee)
• KD-1 (sole of the foot, in the depression when you curl your toes)

3) For neuropathy-type tingling and burning
• KI-3 (between inner ankle and Achilles tendon)
• Liv-3 (top of foot, in the valley between 1st/2nd metatarsals)
• Gentle toe and forefoot massage (avoid strong pressure if sensation is reduced)

Please get checked urgently if…

⚠️ one leg suddenly swells, becomes hot, red, painful, you get shortness of breath, chest pain, or you have new or worsening numbness, ulcers, or infection signs. (These need medical attention the same day.)

(World Kidney Day 2026)

10/03/2026

Hay fever got you yet? 🤧🌿
I’m one of those people who thinks I’ll be fine… right up until the itchy eyes and streaming nose hit.
That’s usually the moment I remember: self-acupuncture or acupressure is a game-changer for me.

Most of the time I’ll use pressure points (acupressure) rather than needles, quick, simple, and I can do it anywhere.

For me, it often helps take the edge off the symptoms and helps me feel more in control during pollen season.

If you’re struggling right now, try this:

If you’d like, comment “HAYFEVER” and I’ll share a simple point routine you can try.

05/03/2026

If your “plantar fasciitis” cases aren’t progressing, screen for referral from the lumbar spine and neural tissue sensitivity.

Red flags and clinical clues:
• burning, tingling, electric quality
• symptoms influenced by sitting, bending or spinal position
• positive slump/SLR, neuro changes, or symptom centralisation/peripheralisation with repeated movements
• weak correlation between heel palpation, load and reported pain

Acupuncture’s role: analgesia and modulation of sensitisation improved rehab tolerance, best results when paired with a clear, graded loading plan and addressing lumbar/hip contributors.

I teach the full assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of plantar fasciitis framework here:
https://stevebaileyacupuncture.thinkific.com/courses/plantar-fasciitis-assessment-diagnosis-and-treatment-with-acupuncture

DM me PLANTARFASCIITIS for links and course details

04/03/2026

Great couple of days at the Foot and Ankle Show
Full couple of days of education with the team at the foot knee and back clinic. Refreshing and improving our knowledge on how to run a business, picking up new skills and looking what new expensive equipment we would love to buy next. But best of all, meeting colleagues I have not seen for quite a few years and reflecting on the past and where we today. How time passes so quickly 😳

03/03/2026

That’s a wrap on Milano Cortina 2026; what a result for Team GB!
5 medals (🥇🥇🥇🥈🥉), our best-ever Winter Olympics performance.
Inspired to book a ski trip next winter? Quick knee reminder 👇
Skiing loads the knee hard, especially with edge catches, twisting falls, and fatigue (ACL/MCL/meniscus are the usual suspects).
Keep your knees slope-ready:
Strength train (quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves)
Balance and single-leg control (proprioception)
Ski-specific rehab progressions
Acupuncture alongside rehab to reduce pain and muscle guarding, improve movement quality, and help you tolerate progressive loading
Want a simple “ski knee” strength plan? DM KNEE ⛷️

01/03/2026

Why “Shin Splints” Keep Coming Back: Foot Type and Ankle Dorsiflexion Restriction
…both can increase compensations through pronation, tibial rotation, and raise stress through the medial tibia, setting the scene for Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS).
Shin splints aren’t “just training load”… sometimes it’s the shape of the foot and lack of ankle dorsiflexion driving the whole story. 👣

In this clip, I break down two common patterns:
• Forefoot varus and a reduced ankle dorsiflexion
• Rearfoot varus and a reduced ankle dorsiflexion
…both can increase compensations through pronation, tibial rotation and raise stress through the medial tibia, setting the scene for Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS).

If you want a no-nonsense, step-by-step way to assess this clinically and link it to injury patterns (and what to do about it with rehab, footwear, chairside insoles, and orthotics) …
If you want a no-nonsense, step-by-step way to assess this clinically and link it to injury patterns (and what to do about it with rehab, footwear, chairside insoles and orthotics) …
Join my Lower Limb Biomechanics Course

📍Nottingham | 📅 18th – 19th April (plus online learning) Scotland dates TBC
DM “BIOMECH” and I’ll send the details.

If you want a no-nonsense, step-by-step way to assess this clinically and link it to injury patterns (and what to do about it with rehab, footwear, chairside insoles, and orthotics) …

28/02/2026