Practising any kind of sporting activity is widely represented in society, but amateur and professional pursuit of sport involves certain consequences. Professional pursuit of sports puts more and more challenges in front of athletes and the athletes' strains are often higher than those their body can handle and for this reason injuries are more and more represented among them. 150 participants from 5 different and very popular sports in Croatia and in the world took part in the survey conducted. The frequency of injuries was investigated among professional footballers, handball players, swimmers, basketball players and weighing lifters, as well as the importance of preventing sports injuries. A large percentage of injuries were found in professional sports, and the most common occurrence was recorded among handball players, while the swimmers recorded the lowest number of injuries as compared to other subjects. Also, in the comparison of contact and non-contact sports, a greater prevalence of injuries was recorded in contact sports. The frequency of injuries in sports is a big problem among professional athletes for whom this represents their lifestyle and basic source of income. Injuries affect the athletes not only in a way to distance them from the competition and the training process but also affect their mental state. They have a wide range of impact in athletes' lives, and for that reason it is important to explore why, when and how does it most commonly happen and to prevent its occurrence to the fullest possible extent. Prevention of sports injuries is very important in the lives of professional athletes because the sport is the primary source of their income which can be lost partially or completely if the injury is so serious that it will prevent them from continuing to engage in certain activities.