Lindsey Vonn Eyes Olympics Days After Tearing ACL at 41

At 41, Lindsey Vonn is attempting something that sounds impossible: racing downhill at the Olympics just days after completely rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament.

The American skiing legend crashed at Crans Montana last Friday, tearing her ACL along with bone bruising and meniscal damage. Yet on Tuesday, she announced plans to ski with a brace and compete at Milano Cortina, with Sunday's downhill as her immediate target.

Douglas Van Citters, a musculoskeletal scientist at Dartmouth College, says Vonn's bid is remarkable but not impossible. Athletes can function without an ACL if the surrounding muscles and ligaments are strong enough to stabilize the knee.

"There are some individuals who are capable of using their knee in the absence of the ACL," Van Citters explained. Vonn's ability to attempt a return this quickly is "truly remarkable."

The key factor is whether Vonn's remaining knee structures can handle the extreme forces of downhill racing. Van Citters notes that skiing offers no particular advantage when racing without an ACL, as the knee remains heavily loaded throughout every run.

What works in Vonn's favor is her exceptional physical condition. She returned to elite racing last year after right knee replacement surgery using modern implants and robotic techniques. Her latest injury affects her left knee.

"To be able to watch her recovery from that other surgery, I think it bodes well for her recovery from this particular injury," Van Citters said.

Racing with a brace could provide crucial external support by restricting forward movement of the shin bone relative to the thigh bone. This partially replicates what the ACL normally does.

Why This Inspires

Vonn's determination shows what the human body can achieve when paired with exceptional conditioning and mental fortitude. Most athletes would face six to nine months of surgery and rehabilitation after this injury.

Instead, Vonn felt stable and strong after treatment and listened to what her body was telling her. Van Citters emphasizes that she and her physicians are carefully monitoring when enough is enough.

Her story isn't just about pushing limits. It's about elite athletes understanding their bodies deeply enough to know what's possible, even when conventional wisdom says otherwise.

Vonn begins downhill training on Thursday in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. Whether she races beyond Sunday's event remains an open question, but her willingness to try inspires everyone facing their own seemingly impossible comebacks.