夫手法者，谓以两手安置所伤之筋骨，使仍复于旧也。但伤有重轻，而手法各有所宜。其痊可之迟速，及遗
留生理残障与否，皆关乎手法之所施得宜，或失其宜，或未尽其法也。盖一身之骨体，既非一致，而十二经筋之罗列序
属，又各不同，故必素知其体相，识其部位，一旦临证，机触于外，巧生于内，手随心转，法从手出。或拽之离
而复合，或推之就而复位，或正其斜，或完其阙，则骨之截断，碎断、斜断，筋之弛、纵、卷、挛、翻、转、离、
合，虽在肉里，以手扪之，自悉其情，法之所施，使患者不知其苦，方称为手法也，况所伤之处，多有关于性
命者，如七窍上通脑髓，膈近心君，四末受伤，痛苦入心者，即或其人元气素壮，败血易于流散，可以克期而愈，
手法亦不可乱施；若元气素弱，一旦被伤，势已难支，设手法再误，则万难挽回矣。此所以尤当审慎者也。盖正
骨者，须心明手巧，既知其病情，复善用夫手法，然后治自多效。诚以手本血肉之体，其宛转运用之妙，可以一
己之卷舒，高下疾徐，轻重开合，能达病者之血气凝滞，皮肉肿痛，筋骨挛折，与情志之苦欲也。较之以器具从事
于拘制者，相去甚远矣。是则手法者，诚正骨之首务哉。
摸法 摸者，用手细细摸其所伤之处，或骨断、骨碎、骨歪、骨整、骨软、骨硬、筋强、筋柔、筋歪、
筋正、筋断、筋走、筋粗、筋翻、筋寒、筋热，以及表里虚实，并所患之新旧也。先摸其或为跌仆，或为错闪，
或为打撞，然后根据法治之。
接法 接者，谓使已断之骨，合拢一处，复归于旧也。凡骨之跌伤错落，或断而两分，或折而陷下，
或碎而散乱，或岐而旁突，相其情势，徐徐接之，使断者复续，陷者复起，碎者复完，突者复平。或用手法，或
用器具，或手法、器具分先后而兼用之，是在医者之通达也。
端法 端者，两手或一手擒定应端之处，酌其重轻，或从下往上端，或从外向内托，或直端、斜端也。盖
骨离其位，必以手法端之，则不待旷日迟久，而骨缝即合，仍须不偏不倚，庶愈后无长短不齐之患。
提法 提者，谓陷下之骨，提出如旧也。其法非一，有用两手提者，有用绳帛系高处提者，有提后用
器具辅之不致仍陷者，必量所伤之轻重浅深，然后施治。倘重者轻提，则病莫能愈；轻者重提，则旧患虽去，
而又增新患矣。
按摩法 按者，谓以手往下抑之也。摩者，谓徐徐揉摩之也。此法盖为皮肤筋肉受伤，但肿硬麻木，而
骨未断折者设也。或因跌仆闪失，以致骨缝开错，气血郁滞，为肿为痛，宜用按摩法，按其经络，以通郁闭之
气，摩其壅聚，以散瘀结之肿，其患可愈。
推拿法 推者，谓以手推之，使还旧处也。拿者，或两手一手捏定患处，酌其宜轻宜重，缓缓焉以复其
位也。若肿痛已除，伤痕已愈，其中或有筋急而转摇不甚便利，或有筋纵而运动不甚自如，又或有骨节间微有
错落不合缝者，是伤虽平，而气血之流行未畅，不宜接、整、端、提等法，惟宜推拿，以通经络气血也。盖人
身之经穴，有大经细络之分，一推一拿，视其虚实酌而用之，则有宣通补泻之法，所以患者无不愈也。
以上诸条，乃八法之大略如此。至于临证之权衡，一时之巧妙，神而明之，存乎其人矣。
正骨手法，是指用双手安置受伤的筋骨，使其恢复到原来的状态。但是损伤有轻重之分，而各种手法各有其适宜的应用场景。痊愈的快慢，以及是否遗留生理残疾，都取决于手法施用是否得当，或是失当，或是未能完全掌握其法度。因为全身的骨骼形体，并不是一致的，而且十二经筋的排列顺序归属，又各不相同，所以必须平时就了解身体的形态结构，识别其部位，一旦临证诊治，外在的触感触发于外，巧妙的构思产生于内心，手随心意转动，技法从手中流出。或者将错位的骨骼拉开后重新复合，或者推动使其归位，或者矫正其倾斜，或者修补其缺损，那么即使是骨骼的截断、粉碎性骨折、斜向断裂，筋膜的松弛、纵缓、卷曲、挛缩、翻转、扭转、分离、合拢，虽然位于肌肉深处，但用手触摸探查，自然能清楚其病情，施用的手法使患者不感到痛苦，这才称为正骨手法。何况受伤的部位，多关系到性命，如七窍上通脑髓，膈肌靠近心脏，四肢末端受伤，痛苦深入内心，即使其人元气本来强壮，败血容易流散，可以按期痊愈，手法也不可以乱施；如果元气本来虚弱，一旦被伤，形势已经难以支撑，假如手法再出错，那么就万难挽回了。这就是为什么尤其应当审慎的原因。大概正骨医生，必须心思明澈、手法灵巧，既知道病情，又善于运用手法，然后治疗自然多有疗效。确实因为手本是血肉之躯，其婉转运用的奥妙，可以通过一人手臂的卷舒、高低、快慢、轻重、开合，能够通达患者气血的凝滞、皮肉的肿痛、筋骨的挛折，以及情志的痛苦欲望。与使用器具从事拘束限制的方法相比，相差甚远了。这样看来，手法确实是正骨的首要任务。
摸法：摸，是用手指细细触摸受伤的部位，判断是骨断、骨碎、骨歪、骨整、骨软、骨硬、筋强、筋柔、筋歪、筋正、筋断、筋走、筋粗、筋翻、筋寒、筋热，以及表里虚实，还有患病的新旧情况。先触摸判断是因为跌打摔伤，还是错闪扭伤，或者是打撞所致，然后根据法则进行治疗。
接法：接，是指使已经断裂的骨头，合拢在一起，恢复原来的样子。凡是骨头跌打损伤错位，或者断开分为两半，或者折断陷入地下，或者破碎散乱，或者歧出旁突，观察其情势，慢慢地进行接续，使断者重新连接，陷者重新抬起，碎者重新完整，突者重新平整。或者使用手法，或者使用器具，或者手法和器具分先后兼用，这在于医生的通达变通。
端法：端，是一只手或双手擒定应当端正的位置，斟酌其轻重，或者从下往上端托，或者从外向内托举，或者直端、斜端。因为骨头离开其位置，必须用手法定位端正，那么就不必经过漫长的时间，骨缝就会愈合，仍然必须不偏不倚，这样痊愈后才不会有长短不齐的隐患。
提法：提，是指将陷入下的骨头，提出恢复到原来的样子。其方法不止一种，有用双手提起的，有用绳帛系在高处提起的，有提起后用器具辅助防止再次陷入的，必须衡量受伤的轻重深浅，然后施治。如果重伤轻提，则病不能愈；轻伤重提，则旧患虽去，却又增加新患。
按摩法：按，是指用手向下按压。摩，是指慢慢揉搓。这种方法大概是为皮肤筋肉受伤，只是肿硬麻木，而骨头没有折断的情况设立的。也有因为跌仆闪失，导致骨缝开错，气血郁滞，形成肿胀疼痛，宜用按摩法，按压其经络，以疏通郁闭之气，揉摩其壅聚之处，以消散瘀结之肿，其患即可痊愈。
推拿法：推，是指用手推，使其回到原来的位置。拿，或者是两手或一手捏定患处，斟酌其适宜轻重，缓缓地使其恢复位置。如果肿痛已除，伤痕已愈，其中或有筋急导致转动不很方便，或有筋纵导致运动不很自如，又或有骨节间微有错落不合缝的情况，这是伤势虽平，但气血流行不畅，不宜用接、整、端、提等方法，只宜用推拿，以疏通经络气血。因为人身上的经穴，有大经细络之分，一推一拿，视其虚实斟酌使用，则有宣通补泻的方法，所以患者无不痊愈。
以上各条，是八法的大略如此。至于临证时的权衡，一时的巧妙，神妙明达，全在于医生本人了。
Bone-setting manipulation refers to the use of both hands to position injured tendons and bones, restoring them to their original state. However, injuries vary in severity, and different manipulative techniques have specific indications. The speed of recovery and whether physiological disabilities remain depend entirely on whether the manipulation is applied appropriately; if it is improper or the method is not fully mastered, outcomes may be compromised. Since the skeletal structure of the body is not uniform, and the arrangement and affiliation of the twelve tendon channels (Twelve Jing-Tendons) differ, one must be familiar with bodily morphology and anatomical locations beforehand. Upon clinical examination, external tactile stimuli trigger internal ingenuity; the hand moves with the mind, and techniques emerge from the hand. One may pull dislocated parts to recombine them, push displaced parts to restore alignment, correct obliquity, or repair defects. Whether bones are severed, comminuted, or obliquely fractured, or whether tendons are lax, elongated, curled, contracted, flipped, twisted, separated, or reunited—even when located deep within the musculature—palpation allows the practitioner to ascertain the condition clearly. When the applied technique causes no pain to the patient, it qualifies as proper bone-setting manipulation. Moreover, since many injury sites are vital to life—for example, the seven orifices connect to the brain marrow, the diaphragm is near the Heart (the Sovereign Mind), and injuries to the four extremities cause pain that affects the mind—even if the patient’s Yuan Qi (Original Qi) is robust and blood stasis disperses easily allowing for timely recovery, manipulation must not be applied recklessly. If Yuan Qi is inherently weak, an injury may already be critical; if manipulation is then performed incorrectly, recovery becomes nearly impossible. This is why extreme caution is required. A bone-setter must possess mental clarity and dexterous hands, understanding the pathology while skillfully applying manipulation, thereby ensuring therapeutic efficacy. Indeed, the hand, being flesh and blood, possesses subtle maneuverability through flexion and extension, elevation and depression, speed and slowness, lightness and heaviness, opening and closing. These movements can address qi and blood stagnation, swelling and pain in skin and flesh, and contracture and fracture of tendons and bones, as well as emotional distress. Compared to using rigid instruments for fixation, this approach is vastly superior. Thus, manipulation is indeed the primary task in bone-setting.
Palpation Method: Palpation involves carefully feeling the injured area with the fingers to determine if there is a bone fracture, comminution, deviation, integrity, softness, hardness, tendon tension, flaccidity, deviation, straightness, rupture, displacement, thickening, flipping, coldness, or heat, as well as assessing exterior-interior deficiency-excess patterns and the chronicity of the condition. First, determine if the cause is a fall, sprain/twist, or blow, then treat according to the appropriate method.
Apposition Method: Apposition refers to bringing broken bones together to restore their original continuity. For dislocations or fractures where bones are split apart, depressed, shattered, or protruding abnormally, observe the situation and gently reduce the fracture, reconnecting severed ends, elevating depressed fragments, consolidating shattered pieces, and flattening protrusions. This may be done via manual manipulation alone, with instruments alone, or a combination of both in sequence, depending on the physician’s adaptability.
Elevation Method: Elevation involves securing the target area with one or both hands, judging the force required, and lifting either from below upwards, from outside inwards, vertically or obliquely. When a bone is displaced, manual elevation is necessary so that the fracture line heals quickly without prolonged immobilization. The alignment must be precise to prevent limb length discrepancy after healing.
Lifting Method: Lifting refers to raising depressed bones back to their normal position. Methods vary: some use two hands to lift directly, others use ropes tied at higher points for traction, and some employ post-lift instrumentation to prevent recurrence. Treatment must be tailored to the depth and severity of the injury. Over-lifting severe injuries will fail to cure, while under-lifting minor injuries may resolve the old problem but create new ones.
Massage Method: "An" (Pressing) means pressing down with the hand. "Mo" (Rubbing) means slowly kneading. This method is indicated for injuries to skin and muscles presenting with swelling, induration, and numbness, provided the bone is intact. It is also used for subluxations caused by falls or twists, where joint spaces are misaligned, leading to qi and blood stagnation, swelling, and pain. Pressing the meridians unblocks stagnant qi, while rubbing dissipates accumulated masses and resolves blood stasis swelling, leading to recovery.
Pushing and Grasping Method: "Tui" (Pushing) means pushing with the hand to return tissues to their original position. "Na" (Grasping/Pinching) involves pinching the affected area with one or both hands, adjusting pressure gently to restore alignment. If swelling and pain have subsided and wounds have healed, but tendon tightness limits rotation or tendon laxity restricts movement, or if slight joint misalignment persists despite apparent healing, manipulation methods like apposition, reduction, elevation, or lifting are contraindicated. Instead, pushing and grasping should be used to promote the circulation of qi and blood through the meridians. Given the distinction between major meridians and collateral vessels, pushing and grasping can be adjusted based on deficiency or excess to apply tonifying or draining techniques, ensuring patient recovery.
The above outlines the general principles of these eight methods. Clinical judgment and momentary ingenuity rely on the individual practitioner’s wisdom and experience.