“I Don’t Have an ACL”: Lindsey Vonn Admits Nerves Ahead of Ninth Surgery Following Olympic Crash

Lindsey Vonn is once again preparing for a difficult chapter in her recovery, but this time, there is hope that she is finally moving closer to putting her Olympic nightmare behind her. The American skiing legend underwent her ninth surgery on November 9, taking another major step toward repairing the damage from her devastating February crash.

Vonn had been waiting months for this procedure. In an Instagram update ahead of entering the operating room, the 42-year-old admitted that she was feeling anxious about what lay ahead. “This day has been looming on my calendar for a while now… and the time has finally come,” she wrote. “I’ve been nervous and anxious about it…but at the same time excited to hopefully put this behind me.”

She also recorded a video explaining exactly what the operation would involve. “So if you’re watching this, that means I am currently having surgery on my leg again. This is going to be my ninth surgery,” Vonn said, before walking her followers through the procedure.

The biggest hurdle has been her ACL. Despite suffering a complete tear before the Winter Olympics, surgeons could not reconstruct the ligament because of the plates and screws needed to stabilize her fractured leg. Now that her bones have healed, doctors can finally remove the hardware and move ahead with the ACL reconstruction.

“I don’t have an ACL still because of all the plates; we just couldn’t put it in,” she explained. However, the operation also comes with another lengthy recovery. Vonn expects six to nine months of rehabilitation after the reconstruction, while the holes left behind by the removed screws will also need time to heal. “Today’s going to be a big day, but I have my friends and family around me. Everything’s going to go great,” she added, thanking fans for their continued support.

It has been a particularly difficult journey since her crash at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics in February. Vonn suffered a complex fracture to her left tibia, along with damage to the fibular head and tibial plateau, after crashing just 14 seconds into the women’s downhill event. The accident came barely a week after she had ruptured her ACL during a World Cup race in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.

The severity of the Olympic injury was almost enough to cost her a leg. Vonn previously revealed that she developed compartment syndrome, a condition in which pressure builds inside the injured area and threatens muscles, nerves, and tendons.

“Dr. Tom Hackett saved my leg from being amputated,” she shared in an earlier Instagram update. The Team USA orthopedic surgeon performed an emergency fasciotomy, cutting open both sides of her leg to relieve the pressure and prevent further damage.

Her first four surgeries took place at a hospital in Treviso, Italy, following the accident. She later returned to the United States, where she continued treatment and rehabilitation. Now, after months of operations and waiting for her bones to heal, the latest procedure could finally clear the way for the ACL repair she has needed all along.

Is a return to competitive skiing still possible for Lindsey Vonn?

Despite everything she has endured, Vonn has never completely shut the door on returning to competitive skiing. In fact, her desire for one more run has remained a recurring theme throughout her recovery.

“One more run.” Those words from her April 2026 interview with TODAY have kept fans wondering whether the three-time Olympic medalist could eventually make it back to the slopes. Vonn has openly admitted that she does not feel her skiing career received the ending she wanted.

“Much to my family’s dismay, yes,” she said when asked whether she wanted to race again. Having already stepped away from the sport for six years before making her comeback, Vonn knows what life outside competitive skiing looks like. But the passion never really disappeared.

Her determination also earned her a place on the 2026-27 U.S. Alpine Ski Team roster, announced in October. The selection recognizes her achievements and leaves the door open for a potential return, although her recovery remains the immediate priority. Vonn has previously indicated that she would make a clearer decision about her future in the spring.

For now, she has been trying to enjoy life beyond the slopes while working toward that possibility. Just two days before her ninth operation, she attended the LACMA Art+Film Gala in Los Angeles on November 7. Dressed in a purple sequin Gucci gown and pointed heels, she made the most of what she knew would be her last glamorous night out for some time. “Last night in heels for a while… had to make it count,” she captioned the Instagram pictures.

The evening followed her appearance at the 2026 CFDA Fashion Awards, where she spoke about the emotional side of undergoing another operation. Vonn recalled finally feeling comfortable showing her scars at a L’Oréal Paris event, only to face the prospect of having them opened up again. “Back to square one, but it’s okay. It happens. It’s life. We’ll move forward,” she said.

That attitude has carried her through months of uncertainty, multiple operations, and a recovery that has tested her physically and mentally. While another six to nine months could stand between Vonn and a possible return to skiing, the immediate goal is much simpler: get through the surgery, heal properly, and regain the strength she needs.

For someone who has already fought so hard to save her leg, the road back may be long, but Vonn is not ready to call it a day just yet.

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