For Lindsey Vonn, getting back to normal life has become a victory in itself. Nearly nine months after a horrific Winter Olympics crash left her fighting to save her leg, the American skiing legend is finally enjoying small moments outside the hospital. Following her ninth surgery, Vonn has now offered fans another glimpse of her recovery, sharing images of her injury scar as she steps out for some fresh air between rehabilitation sessions.

The 42-year-old posted the update on Instagram, showing how her leg is gradually healing after months of medical procedures and intensive rehabilitation. Alongside the pictures of her injury scars, she shared a positive message about her progress, writing, “First few days have gone as well as could be expected. Got a little bit of fresh air in between rehab sessions. That little bit normalcy helps get me through the day. One step at a time…”

The update follows a significant operation earlier this month, which Vonn had been anticipating for quite some time. After the procedure, she revealed that surgeons had spent more than five hours removing the metal implants that had held her fractured leg together.

“It took over 5 hours to remove all the plates and screws from my leg,” she wrote on Instagram. Vonn also thanked her medical team, family, and friends for supporting her throughout the difficult journey. One photograph showed her recovering in a hospital bed while holding a plastic bag containing three metal plates and more than 10 screws. The sight offered a stark reminder of the extent of the damage her leg had suffered.

The operation marked another important step after her devastating crash at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina. Vonn suffered a complex fracture of her left tibia, a tibial plateau fracture, a fractured fibular head, and compartment syndrome. The severity of the injury required multiple operations, first in Italy and later in the United States. She eventually revealed that orthopedic surgeon Dr. Tom Hackett had saved her leg from amputation by performing a fasciotomy to relieve dangerous pressure in the injured limb.

However, removing the implants was about more than allowing her bones to heal. In a video before the procedure, Vonn explained that the metalwork had to come out before surgeons could properly reconstruct her ACL. She had also ruptured her ACL in a World Cup downhill crash in Crans-Montana on Jan 30, about nine days before the Olympic race. The implants also restricted doctors’ ability to examine the surrounding structures clearly, making the latest procedure important for assessing any remaining damage.

There is still considerable work ahead. Vonn expects another six to nine months of recovery, while the holes left behind by the screws need time to heal. She will have to rebuild her strength and mobility once again, but her latest update suggests she is finding motivation in the smallest improvements.

Lindsey Vonn’s Olympic heartbreak hasn’t taken away her desire to ski

The latest setback comes after a remarkable comeback that once looked capable of delivering another Olympic medal. Vonn returned to competitive skiing in the 2024-25 season after spending six years in retirement. Her comeback exceeded expectations as she reclaimed the downhill World Cup lead and arrived in Italy as one of the favorites for Olympic gold.

But her Olympic campaign ended almost as soon as it began. On February 8, Vonn crashed just 13 seconds into her downhill run after clipping a gate. She later explained that she was “simply 5 inches too tight on my line” when her right arm caught inside the gate. She also maintained that her pre-existing ACL injury had nothing to do with the accident.

The crash sparked widespread concern about whether she would ever compete again. Even her father, Alan Kildow, publicly suggested that her racing career should end. Vonn, however, refused to let others make that decision for her.

When a social media user questioned her determination to continue skiing, she responded, “Who said I was retiring?” She later explained that her passion for the sport had not changed despite the severity of her injuries.

“At my age, I’m the only one that will decide my future,” Vonn wrote in March. “Maybe that means racing again, maybe that doesn’t. Only time will tell.”

For now, she remains focused on recovery rather than setting a return date. She has admitted that she cannot imagine a time when she will stop wanting to ski fast, although she remains open to returning recreationally if competitive racing is no longer possible.

Her rehabilitation has already demanded extraordinary patience. After spending months in a wheelchair and on crutches, Vonn eventually regained the ability to walk independently, returned to the gym, and even started playing tennis. The latest operation has added another lengthy chapter to that journey, but it has also brought her closer to addressing the remaining damage in her knee.

For someone who spent decades pushing the limits of alpine skiing, the road back has been anything but straightforward. Yet Vonn continues to find reasons to move forward. This time, a successful operation and a few minutes of fresh air are enough to keep her going.