Lindsey Vonn Reveals ‘Still Broken’ Ankle Five Months After 2026 Olympic Crash

Lindsey Vonn’s ankle remains broken five months after Olympic crash

Lindsey Vonn, the 41-year-old alpine skiing legend, says her ankle is still broken five months after she crashed out of the women’s downhill at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

The crash happened just 13 seconds into the event on February 8. Vonn was airlifted to hospital and underwent emergency surgery for a complex tibia fracture. She also tore her ACL a week before the race.

What happened in Italy?

Vonn’s crash at the Cortina d’Ampezzo course was brutal. She described it in a March interview with *Vanity Fair*: “My leg was broken. My skis were still on. My leg was torqued, and I couldn’t get my skis off. I couldn’t move, and I was yelling for help.”

She needed someone to remove her skis before she could be freed. The injury forced her into emergency surgery and a grueling recovery.

How has her recovery gone?

Five months on, Vonn told *People* at the ESPYs on July 15 that walking is still hard. She said: “It’s been a very slow process. It’s been five months since I’ve been able to actually go to the gym in a somewhat meaningful way. And walking is actually still really hard for me. My ankle is still broken.”

She spent nearly three and a half months unable to walk unassisted. “I got very emotional when I was able to walk on my own,” she said.

What’s her rehab routine like?

Vonn’s daily schedule is relentless. She told *The Athletic* in April: “Wake up at 7:30, breakfast at 8, 9 to 11 is rehab at my house. I have a little break, eat some food. Go to a hyperbaric chamber. Do about two hours with decompression in the hyperbaric, and then I come back and have a little break. And then usually work out from, like, 5 to 6:30, little break, shower, dinner.”

She works out six days a week. Sunday is lighter. On July 7, she posted a video of herself training on Instagram. “It took 5 months, but I’m finally here! Still a very long road ahead but my strength is coming back,” she wrote.

Why this matters for Lindsey Vonn

The injury ended Vonn’s 2026 Olympic run before it began. At 41, she was chasing a third straight Olympic medal. Instead, she faced months of pain and rehab.

Her honesty about the struggle highlights the brutal physical toll of alpine skiing. Vonn has always been candid about injuries. This time, she’s still living it.