One of the greatest challenges facing breast cancer patients in their recovery from breast surgery and radiation therapy is the scarred, indurated and fibrosed tissues that may be left behind. The current approach of direct massage (passive or active) often has limited benefits and leaves patients frustrated. It has become evident in clinical practice that more gentle, indirect approaches may be far more effective at softening and resolving these thickened tissues. In contrast to this, capsular contracture patients who are also a challenging cohort to manage conservatively, appear to respond favourably to a more direct and interventionist approach by the manual therapist than the ones currently applied.