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Lindsey Vonn Says Ankle Is 'Still Broken' Five Months After Olympics Crash

Walking again and beginning gym work, she plans hardware removal then ACL reconstruction before assessing whether to attempt a competitive comeback.

Overview

  • Vonn crashed 13 seconds into the Olympic women's downhill on Feb. 8 and was airlifted from the course with a complex tibia fracture and a torn ACL.
  • Team USA surgeon Dr. Tom Hackett performed emergency fasciotomy surgery to relieve compartment syndrome and the operation is credited with preventing amputation.
  • She spent months in a wheelchair and on crutches and only recently regained the ability to walk unassisted after about three and a half months.
  • Vonn says her ankle remains broken, she currently has no ACL, and she plans staged surgery to remove metal from her leg followed by ACL reconstruction.
  • Her recovery is expected to be slow with bone healing taking roughly a year, leaving her undecided about a return to elite racing after a high‑profile comeback that began in 2024.