"It was really bad"- Lindsey Vonn gets real as she opens up about her struggles before undergoing partial knee replacement surgery

Lindsey Vonn opened up about her struggles with her knee in a recent interview. The star American Alpine skier revealed that she felt the impact of her knee pain on different parts of her body, like her hip and her back, which eventually led her to the decision to undergo a partial knee replacement surgery.

The 40-year-old skier revealed that she explored multiple options to treat her long-standing knee issues but it kept on recurring and got to a point where she could not straighten her leg thereby causing multiple other issues. Lindsey Vonn went under the knife in April 2024 to get a permanent solution to her recurring knee issues.

Vonn spoke about undergoing the surgery in an interview with CBS Monday Morning and revealed that she did not opt for the surgery with the intention of returning to skiing however, it was her love for the sport that brought that led her to make a professional comeback nearly six years post retirement.

"It was really bad. I couldn't straighten it all the way. I couldn't flex it all the way and so I just stuck in this half state that ended up causing hip pain, back pain, neck pain. It wasn't just my knee unfortunately, it was kind of everything. It's just like you get to the end of your rope and you got to make a decision so, I did," she wrote.

" I don't need to ski. I'm Lindsey. I'm a person that loves to ski, and that's a really big distinction for me in my mind," she added.

---

Lindsey Vonn on returning to professional skiing nearly after six years

Lindsey Vonn at the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup - Women's Downhill - Source: Getty

Lindsey Vonn got emotional as she reflected on returning to the slopes after coming out of retirment. The American athlete recalled her journey over the past six years and revealed how her retirement has been a fullfilling experience for her.

Morover, Vonn revealed that she hoped to improve her performances as the season progressed and was very elated on finally being able to compete against some of the best skiers in the world.

"I’m officially BACK!! 🙌🏻❤️It’s been 2,162 days since my last World Cup race (almost 6 years!) but yesterday I got back in the starting gate and competed once again.I finished 14th, which was a perfect place to start. This is only the beginning though, and I’m looking forward to all of the adventures that lie ahead," she wrote.

Furthermore, she thanked her team and the fans for extending their support to her as she embarked on a new journey full of challenges and fun.