Lindsey Vonn's Revolutionary Knee Surgery: The Key to a Pain-Free Future

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Lindsey Vonn’s knee is battle-tested after her ski racing career — but the pain remains following her 2019 retirement.

"I wanted to let you all know that my surgery was successful," shared the 39-year-old former athlete in a recent Instagram Story video on Wednesday, July 26. "I'm still here and going strong. Thank you for all the support." In another post on social media, Vonn provided more details about her recent knee surgery. "I've been dealing with the repercussions of my ski racing career and trying to manage the pain as best as I can," she explained. "This surgery is a significant step towards long-term recovery. There is still more work to be done, and another surgery may be necessary, but I'm hopeful that this will provide some relief."

The Olympic gold medalist added: “Feeling excited about this step and hopefully being in less pain so I can do the things I love.”

Courtesy of Lindsey Vonn/Instagram

Vonn chronicles her surgical journey on social media, capturing moments like waving to the camera before entering the operating room. Even in her groggy state post-surgery, Vonn admits to struggling with eating. Leaving the hospital, Vonn is captured in an Instagram Story, sitting in a wheelchair with her bandaged surgery site, holding two pizza boxes, a container of goldfish, and a ginger ale.

She expressed her hope of keeping down the pizza within the next few hours in another video, while offering a thumbs-up to the camera. Despite facing stomach problems following her surgery, Vonn is accustomed to enduring injuries as she had been a professional alpine skier for many years before taking a step back from the sport in 2019.

"The past two weeks have been some of the most emotionally challenging days of my life. The stark contrast between what my body is conveying and what my mind and heart envision as my capabilities has left me in turmoil. Unfortunately, my mental and physical states are not in alignment," stated Vonn in a lengthy Facebook post shared in February 2019. "After enduring many sleepless nights, I have finally come to terms with the fact that I can no longer pursue ski racing. ... My body has sustained irreparable damage and it is preventing me from experiencing the triumphant final season I had once dreamt of. My body is vehemently urging me to cease and it is time for me to heed its call."

Courtesy of Lindsey Vonn/Instagram

Vonn had endured extensive physical strain leading up to her retirement. Prior to this, she opened up about having undergone a total of nine surgeries, revealing that she had a plate and 18 screws in her arm. However, the number of surgeries has since risen. In March 2022, Vonn confirmed that she had undergone an additional knee procedure to address persistent problems with her lateral collateral ligament.

"I've been struggling with the pain in my knee lately, which is why you may have noticed a lack of workout videos from me," she shared on Instagram. "Dr. Hackett did an excellent job in removing bone spurs and scar tissue, and hopefully now I can fully extend my leg!"

In March 2022, Vonn mentioned that she hoped this surgery would be the final step before considering a knee replacement. Despite the various procedures, Vonn expressed gratitude for her ability to ski competitively for such a long time.

“Ahhh the price we pay to do what we love. Still worth it though,” she added.