Lindsey Vonn is skiing on a completely torn ACL. Could she still win Olympic gold?
ABC News • • sports
Key Points:
- Lindsey Vonn, a highly decorated Olympic skier, skied cautiously during a women's downhill training session at the 2026 Winter Olympics despite having torn her ACL just one week prior, placing ninth in the session.
- Experts note that while an ACL tear typically sidelines athletes, Vonn's exceptional muscle strength and conditioning allow her to continue competing at a high level, a phenomenon known as "ACL coping."
- Women are statistically more prone to ACL injuries due to anatomical and hormonal differences, with women injuring their ACLs 2.2 times more than men, but Vonn's elite conditioning helps mitigate these risks.
- Although Vonn uses a knee brace, specialists warn it offers limited protection against rotational forces involved in downhill skiing,
