Chapter 135
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 135
Chapter Title: Iliopsoas Acupuncture Lesson
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“Wow! Hello~!”
“First time here today, right? Ever played futsal before?”
Most people at the soccer academy were energetic types, so they welcomed the newcomer just like they had with Kim Jiseon.
“Mind if I ask your age?”
“Twenty-six!”
“Whoa, twenties!”
“She looks so young!”
On top of that, this new recruit seemed especially youthful, drawing even more attention.
The women’s futsal team members were mostly in their thirties, with some in their forties, having signed up to play alongside their sons, just like Kim Jiseon.
“Married? No kids yet, right?”
“How’d you guess?”
“I brought her~! Take good care of her~!”
The coach had brought her?
“A relative?”
“You talk like a Seoulite? Where you from?”
“From Gwangju in Gyeonggi Province! Not married yet! I moved down to Busan for a job!”
“Oh, really? What do you do?”
“I’m a Korean medicine doctor! I met the coach when he came in as a patient!”
“He roped you into this?”
“Heh heh, I just invited her to come play once, and she actually showed up.”
The revelation that she was a Korean medicine doctor unleashed a flood of questions the members had been dying to ask.
“Whoa, a doctor!”
“That’s so cool~!”
“Doctor, can I ask you something?”
“Sure, anything I can answer!”
“My ankle sprain from last time—it’s been about six months, and it still hurts. Should I come in for treatment?”
“Mine’s my knee...”
“My son’s sore throat has lasted three weeks...”
“Whoa, the coach needs to start futsal class now! Come to the clinic, and I’ll give you a proper consultation!”
“Of course you should!”
Yi Areum didn’t show the slightest annoyance. She consulted with the members on their ailments between soccer plays.
And since she insisted they all come to the clinic for treatment, everyone got excited and decided on a spot for after-party drinks.
Kim Jiseon joined in too.
Maybe acupuncture will finally fix this nagging back pain that’s lasted days...
I’d treated her diligently for two weeks.
Some improved quickly, others took longer.
Things like neck and shoulder muscle knots cleared up almost after the first session.
I knew from the start that disc issues and arthritis would take time, so I wasn’t fazed.
Kim Jiseon’s case was supposed to be muscular, so I figured it’d heal fast—but there was zero improvement.
Do I have a disc problem too? Should I get an MRI? The X-ray before was fine...
Even during physical therapy, her groin throbbed, and Kim Jiseon smacked her lower back in frustration.
“Jiseon, how’s it feeling today?”
“Yesterday, just standing straight at the mart hurt. It’s a bit better if I slouch, but that’s bad news.”
“Same as at first? Or a little better?”
“Maybe a tiny bit...?”
“Aigoo, must be so frustrating. Treatment’s slower since you’re working. I’ll check with the head director about faster options.”
“It’s fine, really. It’ll get better with time.”
She’s still so young.
I found it oddly touching how anxious she got over the lack of progress.
Kim Jiseon left the clinic tapping her back as usual, then headed to work out and clock in the next day.
And then the text from Yi Areum.
It asked if it was okay for the head director to join near the end of her session.
[No problem, the mart’s right nearby anyway.]
Oh...
The male doctor I’d glimpsed in the treatment room must be one of them. But a new face—a smiling female director—greeted her warmly.
Three doctors total? Business must be booming.
“Hello, Jiseon! Thanks for coming at this hour. I’ll take good care of you!”
“Yes, please do.”
Wonder if her treatment’s different...
Yi Areum had already done a round, but I followed the manual: checked her lumbar range of motion, ran basic orthopedic tests.
Then pressed key muscles from glutes to quadratus lumborum to erector spinae.
The back side was fine—either it was okay originally, or Yi Areum’s treatments had loosened it.
“Let’s have you lie face-up now.”
But when I laid Kim Jiseon supine.
And pressed the iliopsoas (hip-lower back muscle) medial to the Heavenly Pivot beside her navel and the anterior superior iliac spine.
“Eek!”
Immediate reaction.
“Spot on—iliopsoas issue. It runs from spine to thigh, and pelvis to thigh, supporting the spine. A common deep muscle cause of low back pain.”
“Ah, Areum said the same.”
Diagnosis was straightforward.
As Yi Areum had judged herself, she just hadn’t needled the muscle precisely.
“Director, did you do anterior approach? Posterior?”
It’s deep, so long needles either way.
Core muscle supporting the spine—it’s pretty bulky.
But poke roughly? You could nick the kidney—big trouble.
“Posterior. Treated other back muscles too.”
“Taught posterior in school?”
“Yes.”
Professors change, techniques shift.
Back in school, mine stressed anterior; post-return, Kim Chunsik taught safe posterior.
School of thought? Depends on your first teacher.
Some swear anterior’s safer, others posterior.
No accidents either way... And since other back muscles need prone position, treating all at once is convenient.
“I’ll show you posterior first.”
Chance to teach both.
I pulled long needles from under the tray—ones I rarely used.
Posterior needs 9cm.
Super skinny patients maybe 6cm, but I picked for Kim Jiseon’s build.
“Here—L3 transverse process. Know how to find it? Highest iliac crest point is L4.”
“Ah, yes!”
“Press the transverse process with your finger, then needle. Spot: below L4 spinous process, 4cm lateral.”
“Whoa, hold on—let me take notes!”
“Adjust cm per patient, of course.”
Her build needs a bit more lateral.
I pointed to the fascial snag spot.
“Straight in from here. Try it.”
Yi Areum slid the needle into my spot.
Thud.
Stopped quick.
“Hit bone?”
“...Seems like.”
“Don’t panic—pull back 1/3, angle slightly lateral, reinsert. Jiseon, no worries. Needle hits bone? Bone’s tougher—no damage. Soft iron bends, doesn’t break. Just remove.”
“Okay, okay.”
Reassured her post-bone mention, checked Yi Areum’s hands closely.
She re-inserted as instructed.
Squelch.
Nailed the fascial knot perfectly.
“Jiseon, getting that numb tingle?”
“Yes! Totally different from before. From here to here—super refreshing!”
“Perfect insertion. I’ll finish loosening it.”
She’d seen placement—now 100% treat.
I withdrew/reinserted her needle multiple times, releasing the muscle.
That freed most of the adhesion near the spine.
“Ready to flip supine?”
Time for anterior demo.
“Anterior: medial to ASIS only. Pure muscle there—pelvic bone attachment.”
Twenty years this way—easiest. Hit bone? Shift inward slightly.
“Oh, tingling!”
Yi Areum needled; Kim Jiseon feedbacked instantly.
“Good insertion?”
I checked by withdrawing/reinserting.
Spot-on.
“Excellent.”
Praised Yi Areum.
“Jiseon, up you go.”
Helped her sit.
“Treatment done. Walk.”
Thinking retention needles, she tilted her head getting up.
But after steps, realized her back felt entirely different.
“Huh?”
“Much better, right?”
“Completely—no pain at all!”
Felt the release immediately.
Shortened, adhered fibers? Pretty needle hits can snap it free in one go. Other muscles already loosened by Yi Areum anyway.
“Feels too good!”
Kim Jiseon beamed in shock.
“Thanks so much for helping today. Not scared, right?”
Half-joking, half-serious.
Even acquaintance—long needles from newbie? Intimidating.
“Not at all! Areum worked so hard before. And Director gave total pro vibes—no worries~!”
“Glad to hear.”
I grinned.
“Back’s good for now. Stretch at work breaks. Overwork could bring it back—come early if it flares.”
“Will do!”
Aftercare briefed, we packed and exited.
Others gone—extra time for training.
“Uh, payment...?”
“You helped us—obviously free.”
“Really okay?”
Kim Jiseon lit up visibly.
“Of course.”
“Wow, thank you~!”
Back fixed, mood soaring? She hopped out bouncily.
“Hmm...”
But legs together jumping?
“Futsal training move!”
Ah, that explained it.
Couldn’t do it before—must’ve bugged her.
I nodded understandingly.
“Thanks for the help, Director. I didn’t go deep enough.”
Figured.
Misdiagnosis? Nah—knew iliopsoas, just lacked depth sense. Worried about risks.
“Tell me when stuck! Build confidence. Muscle feel comes with practice.”
“Director’s amazing...!”
Yeah, no one hypes like her.
Another case closed.
Since I declared her cured, Kim Jiseon stopped coming.
Yi Areum probably saw her at futsal; I bumped into her once at the mart.
Super grateful for the back fix—gifted me gum.
Handily by the register.
I chewed the drowsiness-busting gum, editing lecture materials.
Why’d I commit to this?
No rest even on off days...
Vrrr—.
Focus already shot, mid-Kim Jiseon thoughts—snatched the phone.
—Director Han~? Doing well?
Park Seseon—first call in ages.
“Of course! You too?”
“Same as always~. Healthy thanks to you!”
Just checking in?
Nope.
“Not much, but a friend wants prenatal tonics~. Mind if I send her your way?”
Park Seseon got to the point.
Prenatal tonic?
Rare request in modern Korea.
Postpartum? Common. Pregnancy? Avoid all meds.
Doctors don’t push unless for self/spouse.
Fetal defect or miscarriage? Even safe herbs—how prove unrelated?
Pregnancy drug effects understudied, East or West.
Experience says safe, though.
Texts detail pre/postpartum formulas; I prescribed countless in murim.
For edema, nausea, easy birth—Sichuan beauties all sought mine.
“Nausea or discomfort? Or pre-labor prep?”
“Pre-labor. One month to due date, natural birth!”
“Happy to. Can she visit?”
“Yep! Thanks, Director! I’ll tell her!”
Our herbalist stocked prime deer antler—perfect timing.