The competitive athlete, whether amateur or professional, presents specific challenges to the massage therapist. To treat these individuals, the therapist should have a background in sport specific activities, be aware of the effects of training, and understand injury types and rehabilitation applications. This text describes patterns for sport activities (like running, throwing, impact, and repetitive use), and provides guidelines for applying massage to specific sports. Because athletes depend on highly coordinated neuromuscular activity, assessment and massage applications that address these physiologic mechanisms are covered in depth.