Objective To detect the pain threshold of acupoints on the leg in healthy volunteers so as to analyze the sensory specificity of different acupoints.Methods A total of 66 healthy volunteers(34 male and 30 female) aged from 19 to 64 years were recruited in the present study.Pain thresholds of acupoints on the lower leg were detected by using an Electronic Von Frey Anesthesiometer after constructing an anthropometric diagram about the cutaneous division of the lower leg.Results 1) Among acupoints Shugu(BL 65)

Jinggu(BL 64)

Kunlun(BL 60)

Chengshan(BL 57) of the Bladder Meridian from the heel to the popliteal fossa

and non-acupoint(1cun lateral to BL 60)

no significant differences were found among these acupoint regions in the pain threshold(P>0.05)

while that of the non-acupoint was significantly higher in comparison with these acupoint regions(P<0.05).2) At the Zusanli(ST 36) level

no significant differences were found among the Yanglingquan(GB 34)

Zusanli(ST 36) and Yinlingquan(SP 9) regions in the pain threshold(P>0.05) and the pain threshold was obviously higher in the non-acupoint(1 cun lateral to ST 36) than in the GB 34

ST 36 and SP 9 regions(P<0.05).3)At the Xiajuxu(ST 39) level

no signi-ficant differences were found among the Xiajuxu(ST 39)

Waiqiu(GB 36)

Yangjiao(GB 35)

Feiyang(BL 58) and Lougu(SP 7) regions in the pain threshold(P>0.05)

but the non-acupoint(1 cun lateral to ST 39) showed a higher threshold than those of the above-mentioned 5 acupoints(P<0.05).4) Among the 5 Xing-spring acupoints Dadu(SP 2)

Xingjian(LR 2)

Neiting(ST 44) and Xiaxi(GB 43) distributing in the interdistal region

the pain threshold was lowest in the Neiting(ST 44) and highest in the Xiaxi(GB 43) regions(P<0.05).5) Among the acupoints Shuiquan(KI 5)

Taixi(KI 3)

Zhubin(KI 9) and Lougu(SP 7) on the lower leg

the pain threshold was lowest in the Zhubin(KI 9) and highest in the Lougu(SP 7) regions(P<0.05).Conclusion In healthy subjects

the pain threshold is generally higher in the non-acupoint region and also shows a sparse lower sensory thres-hold in some acupoints as Neiting(ST 44)

Zhubin(KI 9)

etc.The specificity of acupoints needs being studied further.