Lindsey Vonn’s recovery continues to exceed expectations. Just months after her devastating crash at the 2026 Winter Olympics, the skiing legend has steadily worked her way back toward full fitness, hitting milestone after milestone along the way. Now, Vonn has shared what may be her most encouraging update yet.

On June 11, Vonn shared an Instagram Story. The 41-year-old posted a gym selfie while standing in front of a mirror dressed in a light pink cropped workout top, black athletic leggings, and white training shoes. The caption read, “6 weeks in a wheelchair. 11 weeks on crutches. 7 days NO crutches! Progress 💪🏻.”

Just months after her crash at the 2026 Winter Olympics, the skiing legend was already back in the gym and even completing six unassisted pull-ups. She later attended the 2026 Met Gala, where she walked with assistance. Last week, Vonn was also spotted at F’s Monaco Grand Prix walking without any visible support.

Now, her recent update represents a major step forward considering everything she has gone through in recent months. Her participation in the Milano Cortina Games alone was a miracle, as she tore her ACL just days before the tournament. Then, just 13 seconds into the women’s downhill race, she suffered a devastating tibia fracture in her right leg.

Renowned French orthopedic surgeon Dr. Bertrand Sonnery-Cottet delivered one of the starkest assessments at the time. “It will take months before she can walk normally again,” he said.

Sonnery-Cottet explained that discussions about a return to elite skiing were premature, given the severity of her injuries.

“Her goal now is first and foremost to keep her leg and be able to walk. I think we’re not yet at the stage of returning to high-level skiing. We’re not there yet, but some injuries like hers can end in amputation,” he said.

Vonn later revealed that Team USA orthopedic surgeon Dr. Tom Hackett performed an emergency fasciotomy after she developed compartment syndrome. The procedure proved critical. “He saved me,” the former Olympic champ said.

During her recovery, Vonn revealed the full extent of the damage she suffered in the crash. In addition to a complex tibia fracture, she sustained a fibular head fracture, a plateau fracture, extensive soft-tissue trauma that required multiple surgeries, a torn ACL, and a broken right ankle. By April 2026, Vonn confirmed that she had already undergone eight surgeries and would still require another procedure in the future to repair her torn ACL.

Given the severity of those injuries and the concerns over whether she would ever be able to walk normally again, Vonn’s latest update is significant. But it also raises an even bigger question: Can she return to skiing once again?

Lindsey Vonn’s comeback and future plans

Vonn first retired in February 2019 at the age of 34 after multiple injuries, particularly to her knee, including ACL tears, forced her to step away from the sport she loved. But even after retirement, she continued to live with chronic pain on a daily basis.

But in 2024, Vonn underwent a partial titanium knee replacement, and everything changed.

The procedure allowed her to ski without the lingering pain that had affected her for years. That success gave her renewed confidence, and in November 2024, Vonn announced her return to competitive skiing. However, many questioned whether a skier in her forties could compete against athletes nearly half her age. Vonn quickly answered those doubts, showing that she still belonged on the World Cup circuit.

She won her 83rd and 84th career races in St. Moritz and Altenmarkt-Zauchensee, respectively, and also recorded several podium finishes during the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons. Her performances earned her a place on Team USA, and in December 2025, she officially secured a spot at the Milano Cortina Olympics. It was set to be her fifth Olympic appearance.

Alas, she tore her ACL in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, on 30th January. But still, she chose to compete in Cortina, a decision that ultimately led to the fractures and eight surgeries she’s recovering from right now.

So, could she return once again? For now, Vonn has refused to rule anything out. In an interview with Reuters in April 2026, she admitted, “I don’t like to close the door on anything, because you just never know what’s going to happen.

I just don’t want to jump to any conclusions or even speculate on what I might do,” Vonn said. “I may retire. I may never race again, and that would be completely fine, but I’m not in a position emotionally to make that decision at this point,” she said.

Yet there are signs that she still feels her story in the sport may be unfinished.

Speaking about how her comeback ended, Vonn said, “There’s definitely closure that’s missing.” There, Vonn again emphasized that she was keeping an open mind about the future. “I could have no kids and want to race again,” she said. “You just never know what’s going to happen.”

For now, the biggest challenge remains her recovery.  Whether she ultimately returns to competitive skiing or not remains uncertain. But if her career has proven anything, it is that counting Lindsey Vonn out has rarely been a wise bet.