American Olympian and skiing icon Lindsey Vonn is out of her wheelchair and has shared videos of her workouts less than a month on from five surgeries that almost resulted in a leg amputation.
The 41-year-old endured a torn ACL a matter of days before the start of the Winter Olympics last month, but still opted to try and compete, which saw her break her leg.
She would undergo five surgeries while also having to deal with the loss of her beloved dog, but she is now back home from hospital and has been looking to get healthy again.
In an Instagram post shared on Thursday night, Vonn could be seen standing up out of her wheelchair unassisted as she took to the gym.
She could be seen carrying out leg workouts and weight training, with the video montage ending with a snippet of her getting up to stand.
Vonn captioned the post: ‘Definitely some hard times but still thankful… still working hard. The only goal is to get healthy. One day at a time. #icandothis.’
America ski hero Lindsey Vonn has been working out in the gym less than a month after nearly losing her leg
Vonn shared footage to her social media account, showing her standing up out of her wheelchair and hitting the gym
On Sunday, Vonn pictured herself alongside her dog, Chance, while writing about her difficult recovery ahead. It’s unclear where she was writing from, but the 2010 Olympic gold medalist reportedly has homes around the country.
‘I’m focused now on therapy and getting healthy,’ she wrote. ‘It’s going to be a hard and painful journey but I am putting all of my energy into it, like I always do.
‘I’m going to take some time for myself. I’ll give you updates when I can but right now my focus is on taking care of myself.
‘As always, thank you for the love and support.’
After trying to compete in the women’s downhill with a torn ACL, the iconic skier lost control over the opening traverse and came crashing down along a sharp downslope. Vonn was heard screaming after the crash as she was surrounded by medical personnel, strapped to a gurney and flown away on a helicopter.
Since then, Vonn had four surgeries in Italy and another in the US. Most recently, Vonn underwent a six-hour procedure last Wednesday, aimed at rebuilding the leg and covering the skin to avoid infection, according to NPR.
Nolan Horner, a top orthopedic surgeon from Genesis Orthopedics & Sports Medicine in Chicago, said Vonn came dangerously close to losing her leg in the violent fall.
‘When it’s identified, the patient should be taken to the operating room almost immediately,’ Horner told EFE, via Marca. ‘Every hour that passes once someone enters compartment syndrome, the risk of permanent damage or even limb loss begins to increase very rapidly.’
On Sunday, Vonn pictured herself alongside her dog, Chance, while writing about her difficult recovery ahead
Horner, who has experience treating athletes from the NBA, MLB and other leading sports leagues, said Vonn suffered from ‘compartment syndrome.’
‘Compartment syndrome is basically when, due to increased pressure in a muscle compartment, the pressure within that compartment becomes so high that it cuts off the blood supply to the limb. That can cause permanent nerve damage in a limb,’ he continued.
‘It’s considered a surgical emergency, and if it’s not treated very quickly, it can lead to the death of muscle tissue, permanent nerve damage, or even, in severe cases, the loss of the limb.’
According to Horner, after rushing Vonn into surgery doctors opened up or released her fascia – which is a connective layer of tissue that separates muscles in the body.
‘When bleeding or very intense swelling starts in these muscle areas, the fascia contains all of that, and that’s what causes the pressure inside the compartment to start increasing,’ he said.
Opening or releasing the fascia ‘allows the muscles to expand freely’ and ‘relieves the pressure’, which saved Vonn from permanent nerve damage and subsequent amputation.
When asked to assess her recovery timeframe, Horner estimated that the Olympics hero won’t even be able to bear weight on her leg again for up to three months.
‘The fact that she’s an elite athlete greatly improves her chances of a very good outcome, but she certainly has a long road ahead,’ the surgeon admitted. ‘She’ll likely have an extended period where she’s not even allowed to put weight on that limb, to allow the fracture to heal properly.’
