Lindsey Vonn Pursues Olympic Downhill Bid Days After ACL Rupture
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy – – American skiing standout Lindsey Vonn, 41, is “confident” she can compete at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics despite a completely ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her left knee sustained just four days ago. Vonn addressed reporters on at the Cortina Curling Stadium, detailing the injury suffered during a World Cup downhill event in Crans Montana, Switzerland on .
The injury, which also includes bone bruising and meniscal damage, occurred when Vonn crashed and ended up in the safety nets. Despite the severity of the tear, Vonn expressed optimism after three days of physical therapy and consultation with doctors. “My knee is not swollen, and with the help of a knee brace, I am confident that I can compete on Sunday,” she stated, referring to the women’s downhill race scheduled for this weekend.
Vonn acknowledged that her chances of success have diminished following the injury, but remains determined to compete. “So this is not obviously what I had hoped for. I know what my chances were before the crash and I know my chances aren’t the same as it stands today but I know there’s still a chance. And as long as there’s a chance, I will try. I will do everything in my power to be in the starting gate.”
Experts suggest that while a torn ACL is typically a season-ending injury requiring six to nine months of rehabilitation, Vonn’s elite conditioning and the use of a knee brace could allow her to compete. Douglas Van Citters, a scientist and expert on artificial joints at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, explained that athletes can function without an ACL if surrounding structures are strong enough to stabilize the knee. “There are some individuals who are capable of using their knee in the absence of the ACL,” Van Citters told Reuters on .
Van Citters emphasized that Vonn’s ability to attempt a return so quickly is “truly remarkable,” and that her success will depend on the strength of the remaining musculature and ligaments in her knee. “It all depends on whether or not she has the structure in her knee — the rest of the musculature and ligaments — in good enough shape to stabilise the knee during her runs,” he said. “She is incredibly fit, and those structures may still be sufficiently intact to stabilise the knee throughout not only her training day, but then also the competition day that follows.”
Vonn’s case is further complicated by her medical history, including a previous right knee replacement surgery. Van Citters noted that her recovery from the replacement, which utilized modern implant materials and robotic surgery, suggests a capacity to adapt physically. “To be able to watch her recovery from that other surgery, I think it bodes well for her recovery from this particular injury,” he said.
The use of a knee brace could also help limit instability by partially replicating the stabilizing role of the ACL, restricting forward movement of the tibia relative to the femur. However, Van Citters cautioned that there is “always the risk of additional injury,” adding that Vonn has been trained to listen to her body and that she and her physicians are discussing appropriate limits.
Vonn is scheduled to begin downhill training on , with the women’s downhill race on as her immediate target. She is also planning to compete in super-G and the new team combined event, though a decision on participation beyond the downhill has not yet been made.
Teammate Bella Wright expressed confidence in Vonn’s mental fortitude, stating, “If anyone can do it, it’s Lindsey.” Van Citters echoed this sentiment, stating that whether Vonn can compete safely “comes down to stability, not pain.”
