Patellar Tendinitis - Liver-Kidney Deficiency Pattern

Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Patellar Tendinitis · Liver-Kidney Deficiency Pattern

Updated: June 23, 2026

Reviewed by: Dr. Li Wei, DACM

Reading Time: 6 min

Body Area: Knee

Pattern Overview

Liver-Kidney Deficiency is a chronic degenerative pattern in patellar tendinitis, characterized by chronic tendinopathy, ache, weakness, and aggravation with overwork. The core pathogenesis is insufficient nourishment of the patellar tendon by Liver Blood and Kidney Essence, leading to collagen fiber degeneration, reduced elasticity, and chronic pain.

Key Symptoms and Differentiation Points

| Differentiation Dimension | Manifestations |

| :— | :— |

| Primary Symptoms | Chronic aching pain in the front of the knee, weakness, recurrent episodes |

| Associated Symptoms | Soreness in the lower back and knees, fatigue, worse with overwork |

| Tongue and Pulse | Pale red tongue with little coating, thready and weak pulse |

| Pathogenesis | Liver-Kidney deficiency failing to nourish the tendon |

| Etiology | Aging, chronic overuse, constitutional weakness |

Acupuncture Point Prescription

| Point | Location | Function |

| :— | :— | :— |

| BL23 Shenshu | Lower back, 1.5 cun lateral to L2 | Tonifies Kidney Qi and Essence |

| KI3 Taixi | Depression between medial malleolus and Achilles tendon | Source point of Kidney meridian; nourishes Kidney Yin |

| GB34 Yanglingquan | Depression below the head of the fibula | Master point for tendons; strengthens muscles |

| ST35 Dubi | In the two hollows beside the patella | Local points that reduce knee pain and swelling |

Clinical Recommendation: Filiform needle, reinforcing method; moxibustion may be applied to Shenshu and Taixi to warm and tonify.

Herbal Formula

Base Formula: Zuo Gui Wan (左归丸)

Composition:

Rehmannia (Shu Di), Dioscorea (Shan Yao), Cornus (Shan Zhu Yu), Goji Berry (Gou Qi), Cuscuta (Tu Si Zi), Deer Antler Glue (Lu Jiao), Tortoise Shell Glue (Gui Ban), Achyranthes (Niu Xi)

Action: Tonifies Kidney Yin, nourishes Liver Blood, strengthens tendons and bones.

Modifications

| Associated Symptoms | Additions/Subtractions |

| :— | :— |

| Lower back and knee soreness | Add Du Zhong, Xu Duan to supplement the Kidneys and strengthen the lower back |

| Recurrent episodes | Add Huang Qi, Dang Shen to supplement Qi and stabilize the exterior |

| Cold intolerance | Add Rou Gui, Fu Zi to warm Yang and disperse Cold |

Western Mechanism Reference

Chronic tendinopathy with collagen fiber degeneration, reduced tendon elasticity, and impaired tissue repair. Liver-Kidney Deficiency corresponds to chronic patellar tendinitis, where age-related degeneration and reduced tissue elasticity contribute to persistent pain and poor healing.

References

  1. Textbook Standard.

  2. WHO. (2023). Musculoskeletal pain. World Health Organization.

Explore More

  • Find your solution at MendGod.com – Personalized herbal protocols and acupressure tools for knee pain relief.

  • Deepen your knowledge at TcmCIO.com – Full research papers and clinical case studies on TCM tendon health.