Lindsey Vonn Reflects on Epic Comeback in Pro Alpine Skiing Career Following Latest Knee Surgery

She’s using her former accomplishments as motivation during her recovery journey.

Lindsey Vonn / Christopher Creveling-USA TODAY Sports

It’s no secret that Lindsey Vonn has dealt with several knee injuries over the years. The athlete’s professional alpine skiing career came to an end in 2019 due to persistent problems with both her ACL and MCL.

Though she’s no longer skiing competitively, the string of injuries and the pain still hasn’t quite abated for the 39-year-old. So, she recently made the tough decision to undergo knee replacement surgery in her right leg. Following the procedure, Vonn has been especially active on her social media, sharing updates regarding her recovery.

But the downtime has also given her time to reflect upon her career, and on the injuries which brought it to an end. “Recovering from another surgery, reflecting on my ski racing career and what I’ve been through over the years,” Vonn wrote alongside a clip of herself competing at Lake Louise in Canada.

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The thought of the race, she admitted, brings her “hope and inspiration,” regarding her recovery. “I came back from [two] major knee surgeries in an [eight] month span, tearing my ACL twice as well as my MCL and several fractures,” she wrote. “No one thought after missing almost [two] seasons I could come back…. Honestly, I didn’t entirely know where I would stack up either…. But I did it! I won my second race back” and eight in total that season.

Vonn’s reflections were simple, yet impactful: “Whenever you think you’re down and out, keep going!” she wrote. “Anything is possible. I know I’ve done it before, and I can do it again… I’ll just be skiing a lot slower this time around.”