中文版
前言
你一定听过那句老话：“饭后百步走，活到九十九”。可要是你困在新加坡的空调办公室里，饭后根本没空走两步，怎么办？
休斯顿大学Marc Hamilton教授的团队在同行评审期刊《iScience》上发表了一项研究，也许给出了一个答案：一个简单的坐姿踮脚动作，也就是”比目鱼肌俯卧撑”（Soleus Push-up, SPU），似乎能明显支持餐后血糖的调节。
从中医理论来看，研究里描述的机制与传统上的一些观点有相通之处，从经络理论到八段锦功法。
研究发现了什么
在一项25名受试者参与的对照研究中，Hamilton团队观察到，受试者喝下葡萄糖溶液后做比目鱼肌俯卧撑（本质上就是坐着反复抬脚跟），结果令人鼓舞：
- 餐后血糖波动明显减小（研究中降幅达52%）
- 小腿局部代谢率提高约50%，且不引起疲劳
- 低密度脂蛋白（“坏胆固醇”）水平也有所改善
比目鱼肌是小腿深层的一块肌肉，只占体重1%左右，研究却提示它可能在葡萄糖代谢中扮演重要角色。研究人员建议饭后坐着踮脚15-20分钟，大约3分钟就开始起效。
对上班族来说，这个动作特别实用：坐在办公桌前、看电视、通勤路上都能做，不需要器械，也不用另外抽时间。
中医视角：为什么这并不新鲜
一、脾主运化，脾主肌肉
在中医里，消化食物、调节血糖，都归到脾的”运化”功能之下。脾从食物中提取谷气，把它转化成可用的气、血和津液。
更关键的是，中医认为脾主肌肉四肢。也就是说，四肢的适度活动能直接帮到脾的代谢。四肢一动，脾气就健；久坐不动，脾的运化也就跟着停滞。
这正是”饭后百步走”背后的道理。从中医看，比目鱼肌俯卧撑说白了就是坐着版的”饭后百步走”，靠激活四肢肌肉来支持脾的消化运化。
二、六条经络穿行小腿
小腿是人体经络最密集的部位之一，足三阴三阳六条主要经络全都从这里经过。比目鱼肌所在的区域，恰好聚着好几个关键穴位：
- 足太阳膀胱经： 承山（BL57）、承筋（BL56）、飞扬（BL58），传统上用于促进循环、缓解下肢沉重
- 足少阴肾经： 太溪（KI3）、复溜（KI7），传统上用于支持肾气和水液代谢
- 足太阴脾经： 三阴交（SP6）、地机（SP8），传统上用于支持脾的运化功能
踮脚时小腿肌肉一收一放，会自然地挤压再松开这些穴位区域，相当于一种温和的、内置的自我穴位按摩。
三、涌泉穴与肾气
坐着抬脚跟时，足底，尤其是涌泉穴（KI1），会被反复挤压。涌泉是肾经的起始穴位，传统上被看作维持整体生命力最重要的穴位之一。
在中医理论中，肾为先天之本。肾气充足，身体的气化功能就运转顺畅，水液和糖脂的代谢也随之得到支持。踮脚刺激涌泉，可能有助于支持这一层肾气的功能。
这也是八段锦最后一式的核心。八段锦是中国流传最广的传统健身功法，第八式叫”背后七颠百病消”，动作就是反复踮脚起落。古人一句话就说清的道理，现代代谢科学花了不少研究才验证出来。
四、活血化瘀，通调气机
久坐是现代生活里最常见的健康难题之一。从中医看，长时间静坐会让下肢气滞血瘀，日子久了可能带来下肢沉重浮肿、静脉曲张、消化代谢迟缓，还有整天提不起精神、脑袋发沉的感觉。
小腿肌肉常被称作人体的”第二心脏”，这话不是没有道理。踮脚时比目鱼肌和腓肠肌收缩，像泵一样把静脉血往心脏方向推。用中医的话说，这就是活血化瘀、通调气机。
对一天里大半时间都坐着的人（新加坡不少上班族正是如此），这个简单动作，或许有助于缓解久坐带来的一些不适。
古今相通
| 现代科学 | 中医理论 |
|---|---|
| 比目鱼肌代谢葡萄糖 | 脾主运化水谷精微 |
| 小腿肌肉泵促进静脉回流 | 活血化瘀，通调气机 |
| 局部代谢率提高约50% | 健脾助运，四肢肌肉活动益脾 |
| 抬脚跟激活下肢肌肉 | 刺激足三阴三阳经络穴位 |
| 餐后活动支持血糖调节 | 饭后百步走，活到九十九 |
| 比目鱼肌俯卧撑作为微运动 | 八段锦·背后七颠百病消 |
怎么做
动作很简单：
- 舒服地坐在椅子上，双脚平放地面
- 前脚掌贴着地
- 慢慢把脚跟抬到自己觉得舒服的高度
- 在最高处稍停一下
- 再缓缓把脚跟放下
- 以自然放松的节奏重复
几点建议：
- 饭后： 15-20分钟，约3分钟后开始起效
- 任何坐着的时候： 工作、看电视、通勤都行
- 配合腹式呼吸： 抬起时吸气，放下时呼气，效果更好
- 养成习惯： 让它变得像下意识的小动作一样自然
中医加强版：穴位按摩热身
踮脚前后，按一按两个关键穴位，可以增强效果。
足三里（ST36）在膝盖下方四指宽、胫骨外侧一指宽处，传统上称”长寿穴”，是中医支持消化功能很重要的一个穴位。每侧打圈按揉1-2分钟。
三阴交（SP6）在内踝骨上方四指宽处，是脾、肝、肾三条经的交会点。每侧轻轻按揉1-2分钟。
谁可能最受益
结合研究发现和中医道理，这个练习可能对几类人特别有帮助：
- 久坐的办公室工作者
- 关注餐后血糖的人
- 有脾气虚表现的人：常在饭后腹胀、疲劳，或大便偏稀，中医师往往能看出这些迹象
- 中老年人：随着年纪增长，脾阳和肾气自然衰退，每天温和地动一动就越发重要
结语
一个简单的坐姿踮脚，不管你叫它比目鱼肌俯卧撑，还是八段锦的最后一式，都让传统中医观点和现代代谢科学有了可对照之处。不用器械，不占专门的时间，坐着就能养生。
西方研究者用对照实验证明的事，中医从业者早已通过经络理论、脾胃生理和传统功法讲了几百年。这样的交汇是个很好的提醒：古人的观察和现代的测量，常常殊途同归。
当然，这个动作只是整体健康的一环。体质、饮食、睡眠、压力和整体的平衡，都同样重要。如果你想了解中医怎样通过个性化的方案（结合饮食指导、针灸和生活方式调整）来支持你的代谢健康，欢迎向我们咨询。
English Version
Introduction
You have probably heard the old Chinese saying, “Walk a hundred steps after meals, and you’ll live to ninety-nine” (饭后百步走，活到九十九). But what if you are stuck at your desk in one of Singapore’s air-conditioned offices, with no time for a post-meal walk?
A study by Professor Marc Hamilton’s team at the University of Houston, published in the peer-reviewed journal iScience, may offer an answer. A simple seated heel raise, called the Soleus Push-up (SPU), appears to meaningfully support blood sugar regulation after meals.
For TCM practitioners, this is not surprising. The mechanisms the study describes fit closely with principles Chinese medicine has applied for thousands of years, from meridian theory to the old exercise system of Baduanjin (八段锦).
What the study found
In a controlled study of 25 participants, Hamilton’s team saw that doing the Soleus Push-up, essentially raising the heels repeatedly while seated, after drinking a glucose solution produced encouraging results:
- Post-meal blood sugar swings were notably smaller (by up to 52% in the study)
- Local metabolic rate in the calf rose by about 50%, without causing fatigue
- LDL (“bad cholesterol”) levels also improved
The soleus is a deep calf muscle that makes up only about 1% of body weight, yet the study suggests it may play a real part in glucose metabolism. The researchers recommend 15-20 minutes of seated heel raises after meals, with effects starting around the 3-minute mark.
What makes it so practical for office workers is that you can do it at a desk, in front of the television, or on a commute. No equipment, and no extra time set aside.
The TCM view: why this is not new
1. The Spleen governs transformation and the muscles
In TCM, digesting food and regulating blood sugar both fall under the Spleen’s function of “transformation and transportation” (脾主运化). The Spleen draws out grain qi (谷气), the vital energy in food, and turns it into usable Qi, Blood, and Body Fluids.
Just as important, TCM holds that the Spleen governs the muscles and four limbs (脾主肌肉四肢). Gentle movement of the limbs directly supports the Spleen’s metabolic work. When the limbs move, the Spleen is strengthened; when we sit idle, its transforming capacity stalls.
This is the reasoning behind “walk a hundred steps after meals.” Through a TCM lens, the Soleus Push-up is basically a seated version of that walk, using the limb muscles to support the Spleen’s digestive work.
2. Six meridians run through the calves
The calves are one of the most meridian-dense parts of the body. All six major leg meridians, the three Yin and three Yang channels, pass through the lower leg. The soleus sits right where several key acupoints cluster:
- Foot Taiyang Bladder Meridian (足太阳膀胱经): Chengshan (BL57 承山), Chengjin (BL56 承筋), Feiyang (BL58 飞扬), traditionally used to promote circulation and relieve leg heaviness
- Foot Shaoyin Kidney Meridian (足少阴肾经): Taixi (KI3 太溪), Fuliu (KI7 复溜), traditionally used to support Kidney Qi and fluid metabolism
- Foot Taiyin Spleen Meridian (足太阴脾经): Sanyinjiao (SP6 三阴交), Diji (SP8 地机), traditionally used to support the Spleen’s transforming function
As the calf muscles contract and release during heel raises, they naturally compress and free these acupoint regions, working like a gentle, built-in form of self-acupressure.
3. Yongquan and Kidney Qi
When you raise your heels while seated, the sole of the foot, and Yongquan (KI1 涌泉) in particular, is pressed against the ground again and again. Yongquan is the first point of the Kidney meridian and is traditionally seen as one of the most important acupoints for overall vitality.
In TCM theory, the Kidney is the foundation of prenatal constitution (肾为先天之本). When Kidney Qi is sufficient, the body’s qi transformation runs smoothly, which supports the metabolism of water, fluids, sugars, and lipids. Stimulating Yongquan through heel raises may help support this Kidney Qi function.
This is also the core idea behind the final movement of Baduanjin (八段锦), China’s most widely practised traditional health exercise. The eighth movement, “Seven Jolts to Eliminate All Ailments” (背后七颠百病消), is nothing more than repeated heel raises and drops. What ancient practitioners captured in a single line, modern metabolic science has taken a lot of research to confirm.
4. Promoting circulation, resolving stagnation
Prolonged sitting is one of the most common health challenges of modern life. From a TCM view, sitting still for long stretches causes Qi and Blood stagnation (气滞血瘀) in the lower limbs. Over time this may contribute to heaviness and swelling in the legs, varicose veins, sluggish digestion and metabolism, and a general sense of fatigue and brain fog.
The calf muscles are often called the body’s “second heart,” and for good reason. When the soleus and gastrocnemius contract during heel raises, they act as a pump, pushing venous blood back toward the heart. In TCM terms, this is invigorating Blood circulation and regulating Qi flow (活血化瘀、通调气机).
For people who spend most of the day seated, which describes a lot of Singapore’s workforce, this simple movement may help ease some of the discomfort that comes with prolonged sitting.
Ancient wisdom meets modern science
| Modern Science | TCM Theory |
|---|---|
| The soleus metabolises glucose | The Spleen transforms food essence |
| The calf muscle pump aids venous return | Invigorating Blood, regulating Qi flow |
| Local metabolic rate rises about 50% | Limb movement strengthens the Spleen |
| Heel raises activate lower-limb muscles | Stimulating the six leg meridians |
| Post-meal movement supports glucose control | ”Walk a hundred steps after meals” |
| The Soleus Push-up as a micro-exercise | Baduanjin’s “Seven Jolts to Eliminate All Ailments” |
How to practise
The movement is very simple:
- Sit comfortably in a chair with both feet flat on the ground
- Keep the balls of your feet in contact with the floor
- Slowly raise your heels as high as is comfortable
- Pause briefly at the top
- Gently lower your heels back down
- Repeat at a natural, relaxed rhythm
A few pointers:
- After meals: 15-20 minutes, with effects starting around 3 minutes
- Anytime seated: while working, watching TV, or commuting
- Pair it with abdominal breathing: inhale as you raise, exhale as you lower
- Build the habit: aim for it to become as natural as fidgeting
A TCM add-on: acupoint warm-up
Before or after your heel raises, massaging two key acupoints can enhance the effect.
Zusanli (ST36 足三里) sits four finger-widths below the kneecap, one finger-width lateral to the shinbone. Traditionally known as the “longevity point,” it is one of TCM’s important acupoints for supporting digestion. Massage in circles for 1-2 minutes per side.
Sanyinjiao (SP6 三阴交) sits four finger-widths above the inner ankle bone, where the Spleen, Liver, and Kidney meridians meet. Press and massage gently for 1-2 minutes per side.
Who may benefit most
Drawing on both the research and TCM principles, this practice may be especially supportive for:
- Office workers who sit for long hours
- People keeping an eye on post-meal blood sugar
- Those with Spleen Qi deficiency patterns: if you often feel bloated after meals, fatigued, or have loose stools, your TCM practitioner may recognise these signs
- Middle-aged and older adults: as Spleen Yang and Kidney Qi naturally decline with age, gentle daily movement matters more and more
Conclusion
A simple seated heel raise, whether you call it the Soleus Push-up or the final movement of Baduanjin, offers an interesting point of comparison between traditional TCM views and modern metabolic science. No equipment, no special time, just sit and support your health.
Where Western researchers have used controlled studies, TCM theory describes similar ideas through meridians, Spleen-Stomach physiology, and traditional exercise. That overlap is interesting, though traditional theory and modern research are different frameworks and one does not prove the other.
This exercise is, of course, one piece of a larger picture. Your constitution, diet, sleep, stress, and overall balance all matter. If you would like to understand how TCM can support your metabolic health through a personalised approach that combines dietary guidance, acupuncture, and lifestyle adjustments, we are here to help.
Sources
- Hamilton, M.T. et al. “A potent physiological method to magnify and sustain soleus oxidative metabolism improves glucose and lipid regulation.” iScience (2022).
- University of Houston. “A Muscle That Can Promote Glucose and Fat Burning.”
- Sacred Lotus. “Acupuncture Channels.”
- Sacred Lotus. “Kidney 1 – Yongquan.”