Lindsey Vonn can try to compete with a torn ACL because elite downhill ski racing relies on an unusual mix of leg strength, bracing, pain tolerance, and technique that can sometimes compensate for a missing ligament in the short term.

What’s going on with Lindsey Vonn right now?

  • Vonn, 41, recently ruptured the ACL in her left knee in a crash just days before the Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics downhill event.
  • Despite this, she and her team say she is “confident” she can still race and has already returned to high‑speed skiing in training.
  • Reports describe her doing box jumps, pool training with a weighted vest, and skiing at significant speeds with minimal pain and swelling.

In other words: her knee is damaged, but her muscles, rehab team, and experience are working overtime to keep the joint functional enough to race.

How can anyone ski world‑class downhill with a torn ACL?

Doctors and trainers say it’s rare but not impossible for a very specific type of athlete in a very specific time window.

1. Monster leg strength and neuromuscular control

  • The ACL is a key stabilizer that keeps the shinbone from sliding forward under the thighbone during cutting and landing movements.
  • Exceptionally strong quadriceps and hamstrings can act like a backup stabilizing system, helping limit that forward slide and rotational wobble when the ligament is torn.
  • Vonn has spent years building enormous leg strength and balance, and she has continued intensive rehab (strength, proprioception, and plyometrics like box jumps) even after the injury.

A normal person with a fresh ACL rupture usually feels their knee “give way.” An elite, extremely strong skier can sometimes hold it together—briefly—by relying on muscle and reflexes.

2. Heavy bracing and taping

  • High‑level skiers with ligament issues often use rigid knee braces or specialized taping to add external stability in place of the ACL.
  • A brace cannot truly “replace” the ligament, but it can limit extreme motions that would cause the knee to buckle at 120+ km/h.
  • For a single race—or a short Olympic program—this can be enough to get through a run if the knee tolerates it and doesn’t swell.

3. Pain tolerance and risk acceptance

  • Competing on a torn ACL is almost never recommended for the average person because the risk of further damage (meniscus tears, cartilage injury, long‑term arthritis) is high.
  • Elite athletes sometimes accept that risk for a once‑in‑a‑lifetime shot at an Olympic medal, especially late in their career.
  • Vonn has a long history of competing through pain and injuries, and she has openly framed this as “the cards I’ve been dealt” and something she knows how to handle mentally.

What doctors say about her specific case

Sports‑medicine specialists quoted in recent coverage explain why her situation, while extreme, is not completely impossible.

  • Short‑term window: Very soon after an ACL rupture, some patients can function surprisingly well before the knee becomes chronically unstable; there may be less swelling once the initial inflammation is controlled.
  • Straight‑line vs cutting sports: Alpine downhill is mostly a high‑speed, gravity‑driven “straight line” with long arcs rather than quick multi‑directional cutting like soccer or basketball, which are far tougher on an ACL‑deficient knee.
  • Her prior surgeries and partial replacement: Vonn already has a partial knee replacement on the other side and a long surgical history, which means her body and team are unusually familiar with managing complex knee mechanics under load.
  • Intensive, 24/7 rehab team: She has around‑the‑clock access to therapists, strength coaches, and medical staff who can constantly adjust her training, manage swelling, and test what her knee can tolerate day by day.

One orthopedic surgeon interviewed about her ACL rupture emphasized that, in carefully selected elite athletes with excellent muscle control, it can be medically possible to compete without an ACL—but it is always a calculated gamble.

Has Lindsey Vonn done something like this before?

Yes—competing through serious knee problems is part of her career story.

  • In 2013, she came back to World Cup racing just 10 months after ACL/MCL reconstruction and then skied on a partially torn ACL in her right knee before eventually needing further surgery.
  • Over her career she has dealt with multiple ACL tears, MCL damage, tibial plateau fractures, and, more recently, a partial titanium knee replacement to manage cartilage loss while still allowing high‑level skiing.
  • That history means she knows exactly how her body responds to knee trauma, how fast she can push rehab, and where her personal limits are—even if those limits are far past what would be reasonable for most people.

In forum discussions and trending news, this comeback is often described as “unprecedented” because of her age, prior surgeries, and the severity of the injury so close to the Games.

Why this is a big trending topic

The phrase “how can Lindsey Vonn compete with a torn ACL” has become a hot search and discussion topic because it sits at the intersection of sports science, risk, and legacy.

People are debating questions like:

  1. Is this safe at all?
    • Some fans and doctors worry about severe long‑term damage and question whether racing is worth it at 41 after so many surgeries.
  1. Is it fair or inspirational?
    • Many others see it as the ultimate toughness and dedication story—an Olympic legend taking one last shot despite brutal setbacks.
  1. Does it set a dangerous example?
    • Sports‑medicine experts stress that what Vonn is doing should not be a model for youth or recreational athletes, who almost always should stop pivoting sports and get proper treatment after an ACL tear.

In 2026, with social media and forums amplifying every medical update and training clip, her decision has turned into a global conversation about how far an athlete should go for one more race.

Key factors that let her attempt this

Here’s a quick breakdown in a more “sports‑science” style list:

  1. Massive leg strength and conditioning that can partially substitute for the stabilizing role of the ACL.
  1. Highly trained balance and proprioception that let her control the knee under extreme force.
  1. External support (bracing, taping, equipment setup) to limit the worst instability patterns.
  1. Event type (downhill vs cutting sport) being just barely compatible with an ACL‑deficient knee, especially for a single‑run peak effort.
  1. Elite medical and rehab resources monitoring her knee day by day and adjusting workload immediately.
  1. Psychological toughness and risk acceptance , built over years of injuries and comebacks.

Put simply: she’s attempting something that requires an extreme combination of physiology, experience, medical support, and willingness to risk her knee’s future.

Mini FAQ

Q: Could a normal skier do what Vonn is doing?
Almost certainly not. For most people, a torn ACL means instability, giving‑way episodes, and a strong recommendation to avoid pivoting sports until reconstruction and rehab.

Q: Does racing on a torn ACL make the injury worse?
It can. There is significant risk of damaging the meniscus and joint cartilage, which can accelerate arthritis and lead to more complex future surgeries.

Q: Why not just withdraw and come back later?
At 41, after multiple surgeries and even a partial knee replacement, there may not be a realistic “later” at this level. That’s why her team calls continuing an “easy decision to keep moving forward” for her, even if it’s controversial.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.