Winter Olympic 2026 | 'Filleted it open': Lindsey Vonn reveals how a torn ACL saved her leg from amputation after horrific crash
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Winter Olympic 2026 | 'Filleted it open': Lindsey Vonn reveals how a torn ACL saved her leg from amputation after horrific crash")
Vonn, 41, crashed during women's downhill event in Winter Olympics 2026 Photograph: (AFP)
Vonn, 41, revealed that she had suffered complex tibia fracture to her left leg and had to undergo multiple surgeries before being flown back home to the USA. Vonn also said that the crash led to compartment syndrome in her leg.
LIndsey Vonn, one of the most successful US skiers, came out of retirement to take part in 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina but a horrible crash during women's downhill event ended her journey. The three-time Olympic medallist has now revealed that the crash was so severe that her leg could have been amputated. Things, however, did not reach to the tipping point and the doctors were able to save her leg. Vonn is now out of hospital for the first time after her crach but still not home. Apart from the aputation scare, she also broke her ankle in the crash with all injuries 'going to take near an year to recover.'
Vonn reveals gruesome details about Olympic crash
In a social media post on Monday (Feb 23), Vonn, 41, revealed that she had suffered complex tibia fracture to her left leg and had to undergo multiple surgeries before being flown back home to the USA. Vonn also said that the crash led to compartment syndrome in her leg.
According to Cleveland Clinic: "Compartment syndrome happens when there’s too much pressure around your muscles. The pressure restricts the flow of blood, fresh oxygen and nutrients to your muscles and nerves. Compartment syndrome is extremely painful."
Vonn said, Dr Tom Hackett "filleted it (leg) open and let it breathe, and he saved me." Hackett works with Team USA and Vonn and, according to her, he was at the games to monitor the skier for her torn ACL which had happened ahead of the Winter Games.
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“If I hadn’t had done that, Tom wouldn’t have been there [and he] wouldn’t have been able to save my leg,” she said.
Vonn offers further update on health status
The 8-time World Championship medal winner also said that it might take her some time before she comes back home.
“After almost 2 weeks of laying in a hospital bed almost completely immobile, I’m finally well enough to move to a hotel. It’s not home yet, but it’s a huge step!” she wrote.
As for the timeline for full recovery, Vonn said: "It will take around a year for all of the bones to heal and then I will decide if I want to take out all the metal or not, and then go back into surgery and finally fix my ACL."
