Months after enduring the most devastating injury of her career, Lindsey Vonn is finally beginning to see meaningful progress. Yet, her recovery journey remains far from straightforward.

Appearing at the ESPYs on Wednesday, Vonn revealed she is finally back in the gym after spending months unable to train meaningfully. However, while that marks a significant milestone in her recovery from the horrific crash she suffered at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, she admitted that she still has a broken ankle and walking remains difficult. 

“I’m feeling a lot better, thank you,” Vonn said. “Even since the Met Gala, I feel amazing. I’m working out in the gym finally, which has been a huge step for me. It’s been a very slow process. You know, it’s been five months since I’ve been able to actually go to the gym in a somewhat meaningful way. Walking is actually still hard for me, my ankle is still broken. But one thing at a time. My leg is healing and that’s important.”

Looking back at the scale of the injury she suffered, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the progress Lindsey Vonn has made in her recovery so far has been impressive. It was not just one injury. It was multiple major injuries that had her go through multiple surgeries.

She first suffered a ruptured ACL in her left knee, nine days before the Olympics. And she stubbornly chose to ski through and compete anyway. The horrifying high-speed, airborne crash she suffered just 13 seconds into her women’s downhill run then did further devastating damage to an already compromised body.

Her left shinbone was shattered, resulting in a broken tibia. She suffered severe fractures expanding into the left knee joint surface. She broke her right ankle during the tumbling fall. And then the most life-threatening of all, Compartment Syndrome. That is, extreme swelling and internal bleeding built up dangerous pressure inside her leg muscles. And that threatened to cut off blood supply and kill the soft tissues, nerves, and tendons.

The Compartment Syndrome was so serious that Team USA surgeon Dr. Tom Hackett had to perform urgent surgery, slicing open both sides of her left lower leg to relieve the pressure. That intervention, as Vonn later credited, was a huge factor in preventing her leg from eventual amputation. 

In total, Lindsey Vonn underwent five surgeries within a few weeks just to save her left leg. Being able to work out, and attend the ESPYs, after all that, is nothing short of remarkable. Hopefully she continues her recovery at this pace.

Will Lindsey Vonn Return to Competitive Skiing?

As it stands, Lindsey Vonn hasn’t officially retired from competitive skiing. However, she has also not yet decided whether she will return after complete recovery. Right now, her focus is entirely on recovery, which she says is still a long way from complete, even though she is now back on her feet and walking in heels. 

Speaking during an interview at the ESPYS, Vonn made it clear that there are still several major hurdles ahead before she can even think about making that decision.

“I have such a long way to go,” Vonn said, speaking to USA Sports. “I still have no ACL, so I need to fix that. And I need to get all the metal out of my leg and then we’ll assess. The biggest issue with my recovery is just that I was so immobile for so long. I was in a wheelchair for six weeks and on crutches for two-and-a-half months.”

It was, however, disappointing for Vonn that she did not eventually come home with an Olympic medal after everything she sacrificed to compete at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. But as she explained, even though she may not have accomplished everything she wanted to, she has still achieved a great deal and is proud of herself for making it as far as she did.

And of course, looking back at the career Lindsey Vonn had, despite severe injuries, she has accomplished an incredible amount. She has established a historic legacy and is widely considered one of the greatest alpine ski racers of all time.

If she does choose to retire from professional skiing now, it would certainly be a career well spent. But as it stands, it appears that is a decision she will make only after her recovery is complete, and she has a clearer understanding of what her body is capable of.