Eight months after an emergency fasciotomy saved her leg from amputation, skiing icon Lindsey Vonn is preparing to enter the operating room once more to remove internal hardware and finally rebuild her left knee.
On November 9, the 42-year-old three-time Olympic medalist is heading into what is slated to be the final major surgery on her left leg, addressing the extensive structural damage sustained during her severe crash at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in February. In an exclusive interview detailing her ongoing medical journey, Vonn provided an update on the upcoming procedure and her long-term path to recovery.
The plan is to remove all of the hardware currently stabilizing her leg, finally fix the torn anterior cruciate ligament, and hopefully close this grueling chapter of medical interventions once and for all. Vonn’s resilience has been tested time and time again throughout her legendary career, but the events of this past year have presented an unprecedented challenge to her physical well-being.
The ordeal began in the days leading up to the Olympic downhill race in February 2026, when Vonn suffered a ruptured ACL in her left knee. Despite the significant injury, the decorated alpine skier made the formidable decision to start the Olympic downhill event. Taking an aggressive line through the opening turns, Vonn clipped a gate just 13.4 seconds into her run, which violently pushed her off course at the Tofane Alpine Skiing area in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
The high-speed impact sent her spinning through the air before she crashed heavily onto the unforgiving icy surface, immediately halting her race and shocking the sports world. Following the accident, Vonn was airlifted from the venue to a local hospital, where medical evaluations revealed complex fractures of the two bones in her lower left leg. Surgeons initially performed stabilization procedures, inserting three plates and up to 20 screws to piece the bones back together. However, because of the severity of the fractures and the trauma to the surrounding tissue, doctors were unable to perform ACL reconstruction surgery immediately, forcing them to wait until the bones had healed properly.
The complexity of the trauma extended far beyond broken bones. In the weeks following her initial emergency surgeries, Vonn revealed that her injuries were so severe that she had to undergo an emergency fasciotomy—a high-risk, urgent surgical procedure used to treat acute compartment syndrome. This potentially life-threatening condition occurs when excessive pressure builds up inside an enclosed muscle space, severely restricting blood flow and threatening permanent damage to muscles, tendons, and fascia. Dr. Tomas Hackett, a Colorado-based orthopedic specialist, performed the intricate operation that ultimately saved Vonn’s left leg from amputation.
Despite the profound physical toll and the seemingly endless cycle of medical procedures, Vonn’s focus has remained remarkably anchored to her passion for sports and the outdoors. In the months following the crash, she has documented small, hard-won milestones on social media as she gradually reclaimed her mobility. In a video shared to Instagram, the ski champion was seen sailing on a hydrofoil, a moment she described as a major step forward in her recovery that brought her immense joy. While acknowledging that the activity was far removed from alpine skiing, she noted that it represented a tangible step closer to the slopes.
That momentum will face a temporary halt following the upcoming November 9 operation. Vonn noted that she expects to be restricted to crutches for approximately four weeks post-surgery and anticipates at least six more months of intensive physical rehabilitation before she can begin thinking about more demanding athletic pursuits. Knowing the grueling nature of the road ahead, she remains resolute in her long-term outlook, expressing confidence that she will eventually return to the activities she loves.
Throughout her illustrious career, Vonn has defined the pinnacle of alpine skiing success. In 2010, she made history by becoming the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in downhill skiing, cementing her status as a global sports icon. Having navigated numerous injuries, dramatic comebacks, and historic victories over decades of elite competition, Vonn continues to be celebrated as one of the sport’s most enduring figures, with her latest chapter adding another remarkable layer to her legacy as a resilient comeback story.
