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Heel Abscess (Zu Gen Ju) arises below the bone of the heel. It is caused by accumulated heat in the Zang-Fu organs, or by wading in water after sweating, or by damaging the sinews through long-distance walking. Initially, there is redness, swelling, and pain. When pus forms, a head appears that can be pricked; discharging yellowish-white pus indicates an easy-to-treat condition. If it breaks open immediately upon onset with black, rotting tissue, it is difficult to treat. This area belongs to Shenmai (BL62), an acupoint of the Foot-Taiyang Bladder Channel, which is the source of the Yang Qiao vessel and the pathway of the Kidney Channel. If the ulcer remains unhealed for a long time, the Qi of the Yang Qiao vessel cannot surge forth, causing Kidney Qi to leak out, leading to further deficiency in the patient, potentially resulting in a lifelong disease. Initially, Garlic-Separated Moxibustion (Ge Suan Jiu) should be used; internally, Xian Fang Huo Ming Yin (Immortal Life Elixir Decoction) added with Rou Gui (Cortex Cinnamomi) and Niu Xi (Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae) is indicated. After ulceration, Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang (Tonify the Middle and Augment the Qi Decoction), Ren Shen Yang Ying Tang (Ginseng Nourishing the Nutritive Decoction), and Gui Fu Di Huang Wan (Cinnamon Twig and Aconite Pill of the Six Ingredients) should be used according to the syndrome for tonification and treatment. Also known as Rabbit-Bite Sore (Tu Ni Chuang), this name likely originates from hunters bitten on the heel by rabbits, whose sores fail to heal over time, eventually leading to death due to exhaustion of Qi and Blood. Similarly, if humans suffer from this on the heel, it is not easily cured, hence the name.

Li Yong (Severe Carbuncle) occurs on the side of the little toe of the foot. If it arises from deficiency of the Foot-Yin channels manifesting as a deep abscess (Ju), the condition is severe; if it results from damp-heat pouring downward involving the Foot-Yang channels manifesting as a superficial carbuncle (Yong), the condition is mild. If there is redness, swelling, and pain, with necrotic pus shedding after ulceration and no spreading black gas, it belongs to excess damp-heat and is easy to treat. If there is slight redness and swelling, with watery pus discharge indicating congealed Yin Qi unable to transform into pus, it is a critical and difficult condition. If the area is dark, diffusely swollen, severely painful without suppuration, accompanied by irritability, fever, thirst, and dribbling urination, it is a malignant syndrome of Yin collapse. Treatment should involve Garlic-Separated Moxibustion; administering Shi Quan Da Bu Tang (Great Tonifying Ten Substance Decoction), or Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang (Tonify the Middle and Augment the Qi Decoction), or Ba Wei Wan (Eight-Ingredient Pill), may yield results. Prescribing bitter-cold purgatives recklessly often leads to untreatable outcomes.

Foot-Dorsal Carbuncle (Jiao Fa Bei), also known as Foot-Dorsum Fa, states in the classics: "Sores should not arise on the three backs." The dorsum of the foot has many tendons but few bones, with thin flesh and skin, located below the extreme Yin. Sores and abscesses here develop slowly and sluggishly, making them dangerous conditions. Etiology includes either deficiency of essence and blood in the Foot-Yin channels or damp-heat pouring downward from the Foot-Yang channels. Initial symptoms of chills, fever, vomiting, hardness, redness, swelling, and pain with suppuration indicate damp-heat and are treatable. Alternatively, injury from foreign objects starting as a single nodule that gradually enlarges, with alternating chills and fever worsening daily, is also due to excessive damp-fire. One must wait for the fever to subside before the swelling recedes and gradually dissipates; this resembles Rotting-Skin Breast Carbuncle. Applying Zhen Zhu San (Pearl Powder) and pasting Bai Yu Gao (White Jade Ointment) can lead to cure. If slightly red/swollen with clear pus, it indicates deficiency of essence and blood and is difficult to treat. If dark, non-painful, non-suppurating, with irritability, fever, thirst, and dribbling urination, it is a malignant sign of Yin collapse not yet transmitted, which is incurable. Treatment for damp-heat pouring downward: first use Garlic-Separated Moxibustion; internally administer Huo Ming Yin (Life-Saving Decoction) to resolve stagnation and toxicity; subsequently use Tuo Li Xiao Du San (Interior-Supporting and Toxin-Resolving Powder); after ulceration, take Yi Qi Tang (Qi-Tonifying Decoction) and Liu Wei Wan (Six-Ingredient Pill) to tonify essence and Qi. For dark, non-painful lesions, apply Mulberry Branch Moxibustion directly to the flesh to move stagnation and assist Yang Qi, followed by Shi Quan Da Bu Tang (Great Tonifying Ten Substance Decoction) and Ba Wei Wan (Eight-Ingredient Pill) to strengthen Spleen Earth and nourish the source of transformation; many patients recover. Focusing solely on treating the sore while damaging vital Qi rarely results in survival.

Tuo Ju (Falling Off Gangrene) involves Ding (malignant furuncles) arising on the toes. Severe cases become purple-black after ulceration, with no pain or itching; eventually, the joints fall off, hence the name. It can also occur on fingers, called Zhu Jie Ding (Bone-Eating Joint Furuncle), where severe cases corrode the proximal phalanx and mild cases cause tendon contraction. Etiology includes accumulation of toxins from rich foods, alcohol, and roasted/grilled items; or kidney Yin depletion from sexual techniques, cinnabar/stone tonics, and excessive sexual activity leading to exhaustion of Qi and Jing. Thirst preceding illness or illness preceding thirst both indicate Kidney Water deficiency failing to control Fire. Although the presentation seems minor, the malignancy is great. Initially resembling millet grains with a yellow blister, the skin becomes purple-dark like cooked red dates, with spreading black gas, gradual rotting, contagion among toes, and even severe pain on the dorsum of the foot feeling like boiling water or fire burning, with foul odor, leading to the Five Collapses syndrome (Blood death/Heart failure, Skin death/Lung failure, Tendon death/Liver failure, Flesh death/Spleen failure, Bone death/Kidney failure), which is incurable. Upon encountering this, before it spreads, one must use Garlic-Separated Moxibustion; for painless areas, use Bright Moxibustion (Ming Jiu) to reduce toxicity. Medicinal attacks are ineffective because the affected area is peripheral with scarce Qi and Blood, making drug delivery difficult; moreover, toxic-clearing herbs damage the Spleen and Stomach and deplete Yuan Qi, whereas moxibustion is superior. Sun Simiao stated: "If in the flesh, cut it; if on the finger, amputate it." Ancients had amputation methods for severe toxins, but these are often feared by patients and should not be suggested lightly; given the unpredictable nature of the disease's progression and prognosis, reckless application is unjustified. Regarding medication: for red, swollen, painful lesions indicating Yuan Qi deficiency and severe damp-heat stagnation, use Huo Ming Yin (Life-Saving Decoction) and Tuo Li San (Interior-Supporting Powder) to resolve toxicity; promptly follow with tonics like Shi Quan Da Bu Tang (Great Tonifying Ten Substance Decoction) or Jia Jian Ba Wei Wan (Modified Eight-Ingredient Pill) to prevent toxin ascent and Yuan Qi depletion, thereby preserving life. For thirst, employ Yin-nourishing and Fire-descending methods. For black, painless, non-suppurating lesions, it is incurable.

Various medical texts discuss Tuo Ju as occurring only on the great toe; lesions on other toes are named Dun Ju (Dun Abscess). It is said that Dun Ju is easier to treat than Tuo Ju because the toe involved in Tuo Ju belongs to a Yin channel. (The great toe belongs to the Foot-Taiyin Spleen Channel.)