{"id":174,"date":"2026-03-31T07:13:24","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T07:13:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/disport.com.ng\/?p=174"},"modified":"2026-03-31T07:13:24","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T07:13:24","slug":"lindsey-vonn-shares-leg-amputation-truth-as-winter-olympics-star-says-doctor-saved-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/?p=174","title":{"rendered":"Lindsey Vonn shares leg amputation truth as Winter Olympics star says &#8216;doctor saved me&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_548649\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">US skiing star Lindsey Vonn provided an update on her leg injury which she suffered during the downhill competition at the Winter Olympics<\/h2>\n<div class=\"Byline_byline-container__K_Owl\" data-testid=\"byline\"><span class=\"Byline_byline-content-wrapper__Imque\" data-testid=\"byline-content\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"Byline_author-badge-date-wrapper__Q7jj1\">\n<p><span class=\"\" data-testid=\"byline-publishedDate\">17:51, 23 Feb 2026<\/span><span class=\"ArticleTimestamp_updated-date__7qD4Q ArticleTimestamp_updated-date-with-published__iFKpF\" data-testid=\"byline-updatedDate\">Updated 18:53, 23 Feb 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<p><button class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX ImageEmbed_image-lead__Ti3qQ\" data-testid=\"leadimage\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"36715752\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Lindsey Vonn of Team United States\" loading=\"eager\" sizes=\"(max-width: 508px) 508px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36715752.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_Alpine-Skiing-Training-in-Cortina-Milano-Cortina-2026-Winter-Olympics-Day-0.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36715752.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s508\/0_Alpine-Skiing-Training-in-Cortina-Milano-Cortina-2026-Winter-Olympics-Day-0.jpg 508w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36715752.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615\/0_Alpine-Skiing-Training-in-Cortina-Milano-Cortina-2026-Winter-Olympics-Day-0.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36715752.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200f\/0_Alpine-Skiing-Training-in-Cortina-Milano-Cortina-2026-Winter-Olympics-Day-0.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Lindsey Vonn suffered a leg injury during the Winter Olympics\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Lindsey Vonn suffered a leg injury during the Winter Olympics<cite aria-label=\"Image: Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Lindsey Vonn has shared an emotional statement confirming that she has finally left hospital following a severe leg injury sustained at the Winter Olympics. Vonn was airlifted to hospital whilst competing in the downhill event at the Games in Italy earlier this month, just days after suffering an ACL injury.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Vonn underwent several surgeries, with the skiing legend initially being released from hospital in Italy to travel back to the United States for further treatment. In a heartfelt Instagram post, Vonn revealed details of the injuries she sustained, including compartment syndrome and a broken ankle, and how her surgeon prevented her from losing her leg.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cI had a complex tibia fracture, I also fractured my fibula head and everything was in pieces, and the reason it was so complex was because I had compartment syndrome\u201d Vonn began in a video posted on Instagram.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cCompartment syndrome is when you have so much trauma to one area of your body that there is too much blood and it gets stuck. It basically crushes everything in the compartment &#8211; muscles, nerves, tendons, it all dies.<\/p>\n<p><span data-testid=\"readmore\" class=\"ReadMore_readmore-prefix__xS44r __className_09d958\">READ MORE<!-- -->: <span class=\"ReadMore_readmore-link__eF9pN\">Winter Olympics viewing figures for BBC after tears in studio and injury shocks<\/span><\/span><span data-testid=\"readmore\" class=\"ReadMore_readmore-prefix__xS44r __className_09d958\">READ MORE<!-- -->: <span class=\"ReadMore_readmore-link__eF9pN\">Winter Olympics president threatens to sack \u00a3420k PR chief in awkward press conference<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cDr Tom Hackett saved my leg, he saved my leg from being amputated. He did what is called a fasciotomy, where he cut open both sides of my leg, let it breathe, and he saved me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">JOIN US ON FACEBOOK!<\/strong><a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MirrorSport#\" rel=\"nofollow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"> <\/strong><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"><u>All the best sports news and much more on our dedicated Facebook page<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Vonn added: \u201cI always talk about everything happening for a reason. If I hadn&#8217;t torn my ACL, which I would have done anyway in this crash, Tom (Hackett) wouldn&#8217;t have been there, he wouldn&#8217;t have been able to save my leg.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cI feel very lucky and grateful for him, for this six-hour surgery he put in to rebuild it, which went amazingly well.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Vonn also revealed why she stayed in hospital longer than anticipated, and provided a timeline for the upcoming phases of her recovery. \u201cI was in the hospital a little longer than I hoped because I had very low haemoglobin from the blood loss from all the surgeries,\u201d Vonn said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cI was really struggling, the pain was a little bit out of control and I had to have a blood transfusion. That helped me a lot and I turned the corner and now I am out.\u201d<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-36699225\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"36699225\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Lindsey Vonn of Team United States inspects the course during the Women's Downhill on day two of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. \" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36699225.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Alpine-Skiing-Milano-Cortina-2026-Winter-Olympics-Day-2.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36699225.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_Alpine-Skiing-Milano-Cortina-2026-Winter-Olympics-Day-2.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36699225.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_Alpine-Skiing-Milano-Cortina-2026-Winter-Olympics-Day-2.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article36699225.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Alpine-Skiing-Milano-Cortina-2026-Winter-Olympics-Day-2.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Lindsey Vonn was airlifted to hospital after a crash during the downhill competition at the Winter Olympics\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Lindsey Vonn was airlifted to hospital after a crash during the downhill competition at the Winter Olympics<cite aria-label=\"Image: Christophe Pallot\/Agence Zoom, Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Christophe Pallot\/Agence Zoom, Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Vonn continued: \u201cI am in a wheelchair right now, I am very much immobile, and I will be in a wheelchair for a while because I also broke my right ankle.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cI hope I can be on crutches in a little bit but we will see, and I will probably be on crutches for at least two months. But I\u2019ll get right to work on rehab and see what I can do and take it one step at a time, like I always do.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Vonn shared the video alongside an lengthy caption, which also outlined a possible timeline for a complete recovery that may necessitate additional surgery down the line.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m finally out of the hospital!!! After almost two weeks of laying in a hospital bed almost completely immobile, I\u2019m finally well enough to move to a hotel,\u201d Vonn wrote. \u201cIt\u2019s not home yet, but it\u2019s a huge step!<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cI hope I explained my injury well enough. I\u2019m not a doctor so if I don\u2019t explain something perfectly please forgive me. When the injury happened the situation was quite challenging in many ways but in the end, the situation was brought back into control. Again, thank you Dr Tom Hackett.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cNow I will focus on rehab and progressing from a wheelchair to crutches in a few weeks. It will take around a year for all of the bones to heal and then I will decide if I want to take out all the metal or not, and then go back into surgery and finally fix my ACL.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cIt will be a long road but I\u2019ll get there. At least I\u2019m out of the hospital. Love you all.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"><em>Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. <a aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=mirror.co.uk\" rel=\"nofollow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">Click here to activate<\/a> or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>US skiing star Lindsey Vonn provided an update on her leg injury which she suffered<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":175,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-174","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-football"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=174"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/174\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/175"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=174"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=174"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/disport.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=174"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}