Lindsey Vonn shared an update on her health, including how surgery saved her left leg, in an Instagram video Monday morning.
Vonn, who was released from the hospital after two weeks, detailed the surgery Dr. Tom Hackett performed and revealed she had compartment syndrome, which put her left leg at risk.
“Dr. Tom Hackett saved my leg. He saved my leg from being amputated,” Vonn said.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons describes compartment syndrome as “a painful condition that occurs when pressure within the muscles builds to dangerous levels. This pressure can decrease blood flow, which prevents nourishment and oxygen from reaching nerve and muscle cells.”
Hackett performed a fasciotomy, where “he cut open both sides of my leg, kind of filleted it open (and) let it breathe, and he saved me,” according to Vonn.
Lindsey Vonn’s injury
Vonn suffered a complex tibia fracture as well as a broken ankle and fractured fibular head and tibial plateau after crashing in her first official run of the women’s downhill at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.
The 41-year-old described this injury as the “most extreme and painful and challenging injury I’ve ever faced in my entire life times 100.”
The crash came roughly a week after Vonn had torn her ACL in another crash. On Monday, Vonn acknowledged the role her torn ACL played in Hackett’s efforts to save her leg.
“I always talk about everything happens for a reason. If I hadn’t torn my ACL, which I would have torn anyways with this crash, if I hadn’t had done that, Tom wouldn’t have been there, he wouldn’t have been able to save my leg,” she said.
According to Vonn, Hackett performed a six-hour surgery to rebuild her knee on Wednesday, which she said “went amazingly well.”
Vonn also underwent a blood transfusion, which she said really helped. She is currently “immobile” and must use a wheelchair, but she hopes to be using crutches soon, which she said she’ll likely be on for two months.
Lindsey Vonn has ‘no regrets’ following crash
Vonn then became emotional in the video while reflecting on her injury and her fellow American Olympians.
“It’s been really hard, and it was definitely not the way I wanted to end my Olympics. But it’s been really inspiring to watch my teammates. Everyone’s just been incredible. Watching Team USA dominate has been really uplifting, so I’m really proud of all you guys.”
Vonn said she has “a long road” ahead of her but she will continue to fight and has “no regrets.”
She thanked the medical staffs in Italy and Colorado and expressed her appreciation for the love and support she has received, which she described as “really amazing, overwhelming to an extent.”
“I wish it had ended differently. But I’d rather go down swinging than not try at all, and I think what I was able to achieve was more than anyone expected to begin with.”
Prior to the Olympics, Vonn made the podium in seven of her eight races this season and won her first World Cup in eight years.
“This year was incredible and so worth everything. I worked really hard to get back, and it was so worth it. This was just one blip on the radar. One thing that I wish didn’t happen, but life is life and we have to take the punches as they come,” she said.