Lindsey Vonn talks about her career and returning to the Olympics
USA TODAY’s Nancy Armor interviews Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Vonn to talk about her return to Milan-Cortina and her career.
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MILAN — Lindsey Vonn’s long list of injuries just got longer.
Vonn was airlifted from the mountain and taken to hospital after falling 13 seconds into the Olympic downhill on Sunday, February 8th. Vonn revealed on February 9th that she suffered a compound fracture in her tibia and would require multiple surgeries. She shared the update in an Instagram post, saying she was aware of the risks involved.
Nine days after another accident, Vonn suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament, bone bruises and a torn meniscus in her left knee. This is not to be confused with the partial right knee replacement surgery she underwent in April 2024.
“Yesterday didn’t end the way I wanted it to, but despite the intense physical pain it caused me, I have no regrets,” Vonn said. “I’ll never forget the feeling of disbelief when I stood in the starting gate yesterday. To stand there with a chance to win was a victory in itself.
“We also knew that racing comes with risks. Racing has always been and continues to be an incredibly dangerous sport.”
Lindsey Vonn’s injury history
- February 2026: Her tibia has a compound fracture and will require multiple surgeries.
- January 2026: He suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament, bone bruises and a torn meniscus in his left knee when he crashed during a downhill run at the World Cup in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.
- January 2019: Impact injury to the peroneal nerve.
- November 2018: A crash during training at Copper Mountain, Colorado tore the collateral ligament and meniscus in his left knee and fractured the tibial plateau in three places.
- November 2016: Fractured the humerus of his right arm in a collision during training at Copper Mountain, Colorado.
- August 2015: Broken ankle in an accident during training in New Zealand.
- February 2016: Multiple fractures in left knee due to collision in super-G at the World Cup in Andorra.
- December 2013: MCL sprain in right knee.
- November 2013: Torn his right ACL in a crash during training at Copper Mountain, Colorado.
- February 2013: Due to a collision in the super-G at the World Championships, he tore the anterior cruciate ligament and MCL of his right knee, and fractured the tibial plateau of his right leg.
- February 2010: Fractured his right little finger in a giant slalom collision at the Vancouver Olympics. (This is where she previously won gold in downhill.)
- December 2009: Collisioned during a giant spin in Lienz, Austria, resulting in a small fracture in the left forearm.
- February 2009: At the World Championships in Val d’Isere, France, he severed the tendon in his right thumb and opened a champagne bottle.
- February 2007: During training for the World Championships in Åre, Sweden, I fell and sprained my right anterior cruciate ligament.
A tibia fracture is a fracture of the shin bone that requires urgent treatment.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, “The tibia is some of the strongest bones in the body, and it typically takes significant force to break it.” “If you fracture your shin bone, you probably won’t be able to stand, walk, or put any weight on your foot.”
According to Yale Medicine, a compound fracture involves the fracture of multiple bones and damaged soft tissue. Symptoms include extreme pain, numbness, and in some cases, bones may protrude through the skin. Treatment includes stabilization and surgery.
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