Source: 9News
Lindsey Vonn aims to compete in the Olympics despite a torn ACL, raising concerns about further injury risks in high-speed skiing, according to experts.
Credit: (Alessandro Della Valle/Keystone via AP)
Lindsey Vonn at the finish area after crashing, during an alpine ski, women’s World Cup downhill, in Crans Montana, Switzerland, Jan. 30, 2026.
DENVER — A Colorado sports medicine specialist says Lindsey Vonn’s plan to compete in the Olympics with a completely ruptured ACL would be extraordinarily difficult — and comes with a heightened risk of further injury.
Vonn revealed on Tuesday that she fully tore her ACL during a crash at the Alpine Ski World Cup in Switzerland, where she lost control during a downhill run and slammed into a safety net. She was airlifted to a hospital and later confirmed the diagnosis at a news conference.
Despite the injury, the 41-year-old says she intends to race on Sunday, relying on a specialized knee brace and close consultation with her medical team.
“An ACL injury in and of itself doesn't mean that you can't use and that you can't move your knee,” said Dr. Sean Baran, a sports medicine specialist at Western Orthopedics. “It's a stabilizer inside the knee and it's certainly a very important stabilizer. It's a rotational stabilizer, so for things that involve fast change of direction, cutting, pivoting, twisting, jumping, we classically think that the ACL is a necessary thing.”
That rotational stability is critical in downhill skiing, a sport that demands precise knee control at high speeds and through aggressive turns.
Vonn says her knee feels stable so far, noting minimal swelling and strong muscle activation. She believes a brace will allow her to compete.
“Considering how my knee feels, it feels stable. I feel strong,” Vonn said. “My knee is not swollen, and with the help of a knee brace, I am confident that I can compete on Sunday.”
But Baran cautioned that a brace cannot replace what the ligament itself provides.
“The trouble is the brace can't reproduce what the ligament itself does,” he said. “It doesn't give you that feedback that an intact ligament gives to your brain, and from a rotational perspective, an ACL brace is not a great rotational stabilizer.”
Baran said braces may help limit extreme movements, but they cannot fully prevent instability — especially in unpredictable situations.
“When you're going straight and in line and everything is fine, then you're probably fine,” he said. “But it's that quick, sudden, unexpected need to react or that fast turn where suddenly you just don't have that stability, and then there really is the real risk of further injury.”
Vonn also disclosed she suffered bone bruising and possible meniscal damage in the crash, adding to the complexity of the injury.
Baran said decisions like this often come down to shared risk assessment between doctors and athletes — a process that looks very different for an Olympic veteran than it would for a recreational skier.
“My job is to lay out all the risks for you so that you can understand the pros and cons,” he said. “Then you have to decide what level of risk you're willing to accept.”
He emphasized that Vonn’s situation should not be seen as a template for others.
“The average athlete who falls skiing this weekend and has this injury shouldn't plan on skiing in the near future again,” Baran said.
“If it's stable and I feel confident, I'll continue to race,” Vonn said. “But I can't tell you that answer until I actually ski 85 miles an hour.”
If she does make it to the start gate — and the podium — Vonn said it would be the most remarkable comeback of her career.
“I think this would be the best comeback I've done so far,” she said.
