Lindsey Vonn injury update: surgery after broken left leg in Olympic downhill crash

Lindsey Vonn is recovering after surgery to stabilize a broken left leg suffered in a terrifying crash during the women’s downhill at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. Team officials said Vonn is in stable condition, and doctors confirmed she underwent an orthopedic procedure after she was airlifted from the course in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

The 41-year-old fell just seconds into her run after clipping a gate and losing control at speed, ending her Olympic comeback attempt.

What’s confirmed about her condition

Medical staff treating Vonn confirmed she underwent orthopedic surgery to stabilize a fracture in her left leg. Team officials said she is stable and receiving care from a combined medical group in Italy.

One key point: while the injury is confirmed as a broken left leg, specific details about the fracture—including the exact bone(s) involved and whether there are additional injuries—have not been fully detailed publicly as of Sunday night ET.

What happened on the course

The crash unfolded almost immediately after Vonn left the start gate. Officials and race-side accounts described a gate contact early in the run that disrupted her balance. In downhill skiing, even a small deflection can flatten an edge or shift weight enough to trigger a skid; once the skis re-engage unpredictably at high speed, a skier can be launched into a violent tumble.

Vonn slid into safety netting and remained down while medical personnel attended to her for several minutes before evacuation. The helicopter transport reflected both the severity of the mechanism of injury and the practical reality of getting an athlete quickly from a mountain venue to advanced imaging and operating facilities.

Hospital care and immediate next steps

After the airlift, Vonn was taken to a regional hospital for evaluation and surgery. The clearest public medical picture right now is:

• Confirmed: broken left leg; surgery performed to stabilize the fracture; stable condition

• Not publicly confirmed: exact fracture location/type, whether multiple bones were involved, or whether there were additional injuries found on imaging (such as knee, ankle, or head/neck concerns)

In cases like this, additional detail often emerges after post-operative assessments, once swelling and follow-up scans clarify the full extent of damage.

Why this crash carried extra concern

Vonn entered the Olympic downhill with a major recent injury already part of the story: she had disclosed a serious left-knee injury in the days leading up to competition, including ligament damage and associated trauma from a recent crash. Competing while compromised doesn’t automatically cause a fall, but it can narrow the margin for correction when something goes wrong—especially in a discipline where split-second adjustments are constant and speeds are extreme.

That context is why the on-slope response and the subsequent confirmation of a leg fracture landed so heavily. The crash wasn’t just visually frightening; it came after weeks where her ability to race at all had been in doubt.

What’s still unconfirmed

Despite the major update—broken leg and surgery—several important questions remain unanswered in the public record:

• Which bone is fractured: tibia, fibula, femur, or a combination has not been consistently confirmed

• Whether the knee injury worsened: any new structural damage to the left knee has not been publicly confirmed

• Return outlook: no timetable has been publicly provided for rehabilitation, weight-bearing, or any possible return to skiing

• Competition status: while this crash ends her downhill run, a definitive statement about whether she is out for the remainder of the Games has not been issued in a formal, detailed way

Until doctors release a more specific diagnosis and treatment plan, the safest summary is that Vonn is stable after surgery for a left-leg fracture and will require a significant recovery period.

What to watch for next

Fans should look for three concrete types of updates in the next day or two:

1. Post-op medical detail describing the fracture and fixation method

2. Clarification on additional injuries (knee, ankle, concussion screening)

3. Rehab guidance on mobility, weight-bearing, and discharge timing

For now, the confirmed facts are straightforward and serious: Vonn suffered a broken left leg in the Olympic downhill, underwent surgery, and is stable while recovering under close medical care.

Sources consulted: Reuters, Associated Press, ESPN, The Guardian