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“Get Well Soon”: Lindsey Vonn Still Has Fans Worried After 10 Surgeries

Published 04/08/2024, 9:34 AM EDT

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“Every day,” remarked the retired Olympian Lindsey Vonn, “I tried to put one foot in front of the other until it eventually got me back to where I wanted to go.” Lindsey Vonn has faced challenges throughout her journey. Now it seems she is comfortable heading into surgery almost like it’s a familiar place. Despite her success in skiing, injuries have always been present.

After retiring from skiing in 2019, the 39-year-old has had knee surgeries. Despite recognizing the road, to recovery Vonn stays strong. Yet again, Vonn finds herself in the familiar confines of the operating theater, but this time, she shares a triumphant update.

Lindsey Vonn’s journey from surgery setbacks to gratitude

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Lindsey Vonn isn’t one to hide the realities of her health journey from her followers. Back in February, she bravely announced her upcoming surgery, originally scheduled for the end of March. However, as March came and went, the surgery was delayed until April. Today, she shared a heartfelt post on Instagram from the operating room, where she underwent the procedure to replace her knee.

Despite the uncertainty and challenges, Vonn’s smile conveyed a sense of relief and contentment. Her caption, Well guys, I got my knee replaced… surgery went very well and I will update you with more details soon. Thank you Dr Roche and your entire team for taking such good care of me.

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However, in her life, Lindsey Vonn has undergone over ten surgeries, predominantly on her knees, including at least four procedures on her right knee and one on her left. These surgeries have been essential to address the significant damage accumulated during her illustrious skiing career, which has resulted in persistent knee issues and eventually necessitated knee replacement surgery.

Vonn’s road to surgery

The journey to surgery and recovery has been arduous for Lindsey Vonn. In November 2018, a training crash in Colorado left her with a severe injury: a complete tear of her LCL. This crucial band of tissue, connecting the thigh bone to the lower leg bones, caused debilitating swelling and pain, as well as significant walking difficulties, as outlined by the Mayo Clinic.

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Despite the severity of her injury, Vonn postponed immediate repair, driven by her commitments to scheduled events and her reluctance to disappoint others. Tragically, this delay exacerbated her knee’s condition, leading to additional damage, including another meniscus tear. By the time she underwent surgery, she required chondroplasty to address the cartilage damage within the joint, according to medical insights from the Mayo Clinic. Fast forward to October 2023, Vonn revealed that she underwent preparatory surgery in anticipation of a forthcoming knee replacement in the spring. And finally, today’s procedure went smoothly.

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Written by:

Maleehah Shakeel

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Maleehah Shakeel is an Olympic Sports writer at EssentiallySports who covers equestrian sports, rodeo, bull riding, and Gymnastics. Maleehah’s stories revolve around various brand endorsement deals of athletes like Jessica Springsteen, Jennifer Gates, and Olivia Dunne. She has written in depth about the brand collaboration between Jessica Springsteen and Tommy Hilfiger.
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Edited by:

Sampurna Pal