Is Lindsey Vonn wearing a knee brace at 2026 Olympics after ACL tear?
Is Lindsey Vonn wearing a knee brace at 2026 Olympics after ACL tear?
Payton Titus, Louisville Courier JournalSun, February 8, 2026 at 5:01 AM UTC
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CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy — Three-time Olympic medalist Lindsey Vonn tore the ACL in her left knee but still intends to ski in the 2026 Milano Cortina Games.
Vonn said her knee feels “stable” and “strong.” There’s no swelling, and she feels she can compete in the women’s downhill Sunday, Feb. 8 with the help of a knee brace.
Vonn used to regularly ski with a brace on her right knee before she retired in 2019. In April of 2024, she had a partial replacement of that joint. Armed with a block of titanium where a mangled knee used to be, Vonn reentered the World Cup circuit eight months later.
1 / 0See Lindsey Vonn complete a Winter Olympics training run on torn ACL
Lindsey Vonn didn’t appear to be going at full speed during her first run down the Cortina course, but she wasn’t backing off, either, despite dealing with a torn ACL. She completed her run in a time of 1:40.33.Here, Vonn takes part in the second official training for the women's downhill event ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at the Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre in Cortina d'Ampezzo on Feb. 6, 2026.
“Your ACL is really what keeps your knee in place,” Vonn said. “Without that, there can be shifting, your bones kind of shift over each other. It's not a great feeling.”
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Vonn injured her knee in a downhill crash during the final competition before the Olympics on Jan. 30. She free skied Feb. 3 and was able to avoid that feeling. Wearing a brace will keep her knee stable and, in theory, prevent further damage.
Vonn completed her first Olympic downhill training run Friday, Feb. 6. She wasn't skiing at full speed but still finished 11th out of 44 skiers with a time of 1:40.33.
Reach USA TODAY Network sports reporter Payton Titus at [email protected], and follow her on X @petitus25.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lindsey Vonn wearing knee brace at Winter Olympics 2026 after ACL tear
Source: “AOL Sports”
