Olympic skiing legend Lindsey Vonn has offered fans an honest look at the early days of her latest recovery, posting that the first few days after her ninth surgery have gone “as well as could be expected.” Between rehab sessions she managed a bit of fresh air, noting that “that little bit of normalcy helps get me through the day.” She closed with her familiar refrain: “One step at a time…”
The 42-year-old American, one of alpine skiing’s most decorated athletes with three Olympic medals and 84 World Cup victories, underwent the procedure in early November 2026. Surgeons removed the plates and screws that had stabilized her left leg since her February crash and performed ACL reconstruction. Vonn later confirmed the five-hour-plus operation “went well” and that she was home and “thankful to be on the final road to a full recovery,” while expressing hope that it would be her last surgery.
The injury saga began just before the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. Vonn tore her ACL in a World Cup crash in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, yet still competed. Thirteen seconds into the women’s downhill in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, she clipped a gate and suffered a complex tibia fracture plus compartment syndrome. Emergency intervention by U.S. team surgeon Dr. Tom Hackett, including a fasciotomy, is credited with saving her leg from potential amputation. Multiple subsequent operations followed over the ensuing nine months while she waited for the bone to heal enough for ACL reconstruction.
In her recent Instagram post, Vonn shared unfiltered images of the current reality: a bandaged and elevated leg, medical care, and time in a wheelchair, set against quieter outdoor moments by the water with her dog. Fans responded with messages of support, many urging her to “keep going.” The post underscores the physical and mental grind of rehab—sessions that demand focus, interrupted only by brief, restorative breaks outdoors.
Vonn has not addressed specific competitive plans in this update. Earlier she said she does not want to “close the door on racing” but will need to feel 100 percent and get back on the mountain before deciding. With another six to nine months of typical ACL recovery ahead (plus time for the bone holes from hardware removal to fill in), her immediate priority remains the day-to-day work of healing.
For an athlete who has repeatedly returned from major injuries throughout her career, the latest message is characteristically direct: progress measured in small steps, supported by routine, fresh air, and the determination that has defined her for more than two decades.
