Lindsey Vonn Jokes About Becoming 'Bionic' After Multiple Surgeries
American skiing icon Lindsey Vonn has humorously described herself as truly 'bionic' after revealing the extensive damage to her left leg following multiple surgical procedures. The 41-year-old athlete underwent her fifth operation on Wednesday, stemming from a complex tibia fracture she suffered during a crash in the women's downhill final at the Winter Olympics on February 8.
Gruesome X-Ray Shows Metal Screws and Plates
Vonn, who has been documenting her challenging recovery journey online, shared a health update on Thursday, discussing the significant pain from her injury. She later posted an X-ray image of her surgically repaired leg, revealing approximately twenty metal screws embedded in the bone to stabilize the fracture. 'I’m bionic for real now,' Vonn quipped in her social media post, accompanied by a metal flexed arm emoji.
In a separate update, Vonn detailed the surgical process, stating, 'Made it through surgery… it took a bit more than six hours to complete. As you can see, it required a lot of plates and screws to put back together but Dr. Hackett did an incredible job.' She added that due to the trauma, she has been struggling post-operation and has not yet been discharged from the hospital, emphasizing 'Baby steps.'
Olympic Crash and Previous Injuries
Vonn's body already contained titanium implants from a right knee reconstruction in 2024, which preceded her second career comeback after a five-year retirement. This comeback culminated in victory at the 2025-2026 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup in December. However, disaster struck just one week before the Winter Olympics when she tore her ACL in a crash at Crans-Montana, Switzerland.
Despite medical concerns, Vonn attempted to compete on the torn ligament at the Games but crashed only thirteen seconds into her downhill final run. During the race, she caught a ski gate with her right side, lost control, and was spun in the air before landing. Medical personnel quickly attended to her, and she was transported by helicopter.
Vonn has insisted she has no regrets about competing, claiming the existing ACL injury did not influence the crash, and she has vowed to ski again in the future.
Recovery Timeline and Personal Heartbreak
Following her fourth operation last weekend, Vonn was discharged from the hospital on Sunday and returned to the United States the next day. Back home, she underwent the fifth procedure on Wednesday, confirming its success on Friday. 'Just a quick update… my last surgery went well,' she wrote on X. 'It took a little over 6 hours. I have been recovering from the surgery but pain has been hard to manage. Making slow progress but I hope I can be out of the hospital soon.'
Away from the slopes, Vonn faced additional heartbreak when her beloved dog, Leo, died shortly after her Olympic crash. Leo, whom she rescued from an animal shelter in 2014, had been battling lung cancer after surviving lymphoma. Vonn shared that Leo suffered a major health setback on the same day as her crash, leading to his passing as she lay in her hospital bed.
'This has been an incredibly hard few days. Probably the hardest of my life,' Vonn wrote, expressing her grief over losing Leo, who had been a source of comfort during previous injuries. She added, 'My boy has been with me since my second ACL injury, when I needed him most… It’s going to be a while before I emotionally process things but I know he will always be with me.'
Vonn concluded by stating she will love Leo forever, noting she thought of him during her recent surgery. The skiing legend continues to navigate both physical recovery and personal loss with resilience and humor.
