Orthopedic Specialist Shares Horrifying Update On Lindsey Vonn's Injury

Originally posted on The Spun | By Chris Rosvoglou | Last updated Feb 13, 2026 3:07 PM ET

It sounds like Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn's road to recovery will feature more obstacles than anyone could've imagined.

Vonn, who was competing on a ruptured ACL, crashed just 13 seconds into her downhill run at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games this past Sunday. She had to be airlifted off the course and transported to the hospital for immediate treatment.

"Unfortunately, I sustained a complex tibia fracture that is currently stable but will require multiple surgeries to fix properly. While yesterday did not end the way I had hoped, and despite the intense physical pain it caused, I have no regrets. Standing in the starting gate yesterday was an incredible feeling that I will never forget. Knowing I stood there having a chance to win was a victory in and of itself. I also knew that racing was a risk. It always was and always will be an incredibly dangerous sport," Vonn said.

"And similar to ski racing, we take risks in life. We dream. We love. We jump. And sometimes we fall. Sometimes our hearts are broken. Sometimes we don’t achieve the dreams we know we could have. But that is the also the beauty of life; we can try."

Feb 7, 2026; Cortina d'Ampezzo, ITALY; Lindsey Vonn of the United States during women's alpine skiing downhill training the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-Imagn Images© Michael Madrid-Imagn Images

Vonn has already undergone three surgeries since suffering this awful injury at the 2026 Winter Games.

On Friday, the legendary skier announced that she still needs to undergo at least two more surgeries.

"It's been a quiet hard few days here in the hospital here. I'm finally feeling more like myself, but I have a long way to go," Vonn said. "Tomorrow, I'll have another surgery and hopefully that goes well. Then I can potentially leave and go back home, at which point I'll need another surgery. Don't know exactly what that entails until I get some better imaging.

View this post on Instagram

Not in the clear just yet.

Orthopedic specialist Dr. Bertrand Sonnery-Cottet provided an update on Vonn's tibia fracture this week. Apparently, the three-time Olympic medalist can't rule out a much more serious operation in the future.

"The timeline is quite unpredictable. It will be months before she can walk normally again," Sonnery-Cottet told France’s RMC Sport. "Her goal now is first and foremost to keep her leg and be able to walk. I think we’re not yet at the stage of returning to high-level skiing. We’re not there yet, but some injuries like hers can end in amputation."

We certainly hope Vonn's recovery doesn't end in amputation, that's for sure.

Our thoughts are with Vonn as she continues to recover from this horrific injury.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: