Chloe Kim is widely regarded as one of the greatest snowboarders in history. Winning two gold medals in halfpipe is a rare feat in itself, and Kim is now eyeing a third in the same event. However, in a big sporting event like the Winter Olympics, injuries are inevitable. And for Chloe Kim, the setback came a month before the event started.

During her practice sessions, Chloe Kim suffered a major torn labrum and a dislocated shoulder in Switzerland. Let’s find out what exactly happened.

When and how did Chloe Kim suffer the shoulder injury?

During the start of January, the incident occurred when her training was going on in Laax, Switzerland. On January 8th, 2026, Kim announced the news on social media. She even described it as the result of the “silliest fall”.

The video footage revealed every single detail about how the accident happened. Kim showed her board catching or getting uneven as she crossed the slope and rode up the halfpipe wall. She lost her bearings after a jump, skittered across the halfpipe, and crashed into her shoulder in the snow. Doctors initially diagnosed it as a shoulder dislocation, but MRI scans later confirmed a torn labrum.

The setback last month was her second strike on the shoulder. She previously injured her shoulder during a warmup for the U.S. Grand Prix at Copper Mountain on December 19, 2025, which forced her to withdraw from that final.

What is the latest injury update on Chloe Kim’s shoulder?

Chloe Kim plays on optimism. When this injury happened, and the test results were out, She has described the tear as “less severe” than other types of labrum injuries and has been managing it with a shoulder brace during her recovery.

“There are two ways to do it, and the way I did it is less severe than the other, so I’m really happy about that,” she said.

However, the aftermath was still very heartbreaking for an athlete like Kim. She was asked to strictly stay away from her snowboard for a long time. And she did not resume riding it until “right before the Olympics”. She recently shared a training update on January 27, 2026, showing her focus on strengthening her shoulder for competition.

Other than that, she even opted for expert advice. Kim reportedly took notes for her recovery from legendary snowboarder Shaun White, who successfully competed at the 2018 Olympics despite a serious training injury.

Will Chloe Kim continue competing at the Winter Olympics 2026?

Yes! There is absolutely no doubt that Chloe Kim will continue to be a solid competitor in the 2026 Milan Olympics. She has officially confirmed she is “good to go” for her events. 

Currently, she is with her team and is the heavy favorite to achieve a historic “three-peat.”

What has Chloe Kim said about her shoulder injury?

When Chloe Kim went down, it was a major heartbreak for her; she even talked about it.

“Obviously, I’m really disappointed that I can’t snowboard until right before the Olympics,” she said. “Which is going to be hard. I haven’t gotten nearly the amount of reps I would’ve liked, but that’s OK.”

However, she didn’t take much time in delivering the good news to her fans.

“So grateful that I will be good to go for the Olympics,” she added.