Few athletes have crashed back into the spotlight quite like Lindsey Vonn. After a partial knee replacement in 2024 brought her out of retirement, a devastating crash at the 2026 Winter Olympics raised new questions about her health and future.

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Full name: Lindsey Caroline Vonn (née Kildow) ·
Born: October 18, 1984 ·
Olympic medals: 3 (1 gold, 2 bronze) ·
World Cup wins: 82 ·
Overall World Cup titles: 4 ·
Return to competition: 2024 after retirement

Quick snapshot

1Skiing Career
  • 82 World Cup wins, most by a female skier (Wikipedia)
  • 3 Olympic medals (1 gold, 2 bronze) (Wikipedia)
  • 4 Overall World Cup titles (Wikipedia)
2Personal Life
  • Married to Thomas Vonn (2007-2013) (Wikipedia)
  • Dated Tiger Woods (2013-2015) (Wikipedia)
  • No children (Wikipedia)
3Health and Injuries
  • Multiple knee surgeries (The Athletic)
  • Partial knee replacement (MAKO robotic) in 2024 (The Athletic)
  • 2026 crash – complex tibia fracture and compartment syndrome (ABC7)
4Net Worth & Endorsements
  • Estimated net worth $8 million (Wikipedia)
  • Endorsements with Red Bull, Under Armour, and others (Wikipedia)
  • Lindsey Vonn Foundation (Wikipedia)

Eight key facts that define the Olympic champion’s profile:

Field Value
Full Name Lindsey Caroline Vonn (née Kildow)
Born October 18, 1984, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Discipline Alpine skiing (downhill, super-G, giant slalom, slalom, combined)
Olympic Medals 1 Gold, 2 Bronze
World Cup Wins 82
Overall World Cup Titles 4 (2008, 2009, 2010, 2012)
Current Status Active (returned 2024 after retirement)

Who is Lindsey Vonn in a relationship with?

Lindsey Vonn and Tiger Woods

  • Lindsey Vonn dated Tiger Woods from 2013 to 2015, according to Wikipedia (a biographical summary).
  • The relationship drew intense media attention, but the couple parted amicably in 2015.

Current partner speculation

According to Wikipedia, Vonn has not publicly confirmed a new relationship since her split with Woods. As of 2025, she has kept her personal life private, with no confirmed partner reported.

Past relationships

  • Vonn was married to Thomas Vonn from 2007 to 2013 (Wikipedia).
  • She has been stepmother to Thomas Vonn’s children from a previous marriage (Wikipedia).
  • She does not have biological children (Wikipedia).

The pattern: Vonn’s relationships have been high-profile but short-lived, often coinciding with career transitions. The implication is that her focus remains on skiing and recovery.

What is Lindsey Vonn’s diagnosis?

Partial knee replacement details

  • Vonn underwent MAKO-assisted robotic partial knee replacement in 2024 (The Athletic).
  • The procedure ended the chronic pain that had contributed to her retirement in 2019 (The Athletic).
  • She shared CT scans of her knee on social media, captioning them: “This is what a partial knee replacement looks like.”

CT images and diagnostic information shared

In a candid Instagram post, Vonn posted images of her knee hardware, offering fans a rare look at her post-surgery anatomy. She later explained that the diagnosis involved long-term cartilage damage from years of high-impact skiing.

Recovery from multiple injuries

  • Vonn has had multiple knee surgeries throughout her career (The Athletic).
  • The partial knee replacement was her fourth major surgery on her knees.

The trade-off: robotic surgery allowed Vonn to return to elite competition, but the 2026 crash showed that even advanced hardware cannot fully protect against unpredictable falls.

Does Lindsey Vonn have a prosthetic?

Use of prosthetic after 2026 crash?

No. Despite rumors after her 2026 Olympic crash, Vonn does not have an artificial limb. The question arose from the severity of her injuries: a complex tibia fracture and compartment syndrome (ABC7).

Knee replacement vs. prosthetic limb

Vonn has a titanium partial knee replacement in her right knee (ABC7 News). That is internal hardware, not an external prosthetic.

Recovery aids and equipment

After the crash, Vonn used a knee brace and crutches, and spent weeks in a wheelchair (NPR). Doctors have cleared her to ski again once healed.

The catch: the combination of a prosthetic joint (knee replacement) and native bone means her leg is strong but not unbreakable.

Does Lindsey Vonn have a child?

Motherhood status

Lindsey Vonn does not have biological children (Wikipedia). She has spoken about prioritizing her career.

Stepchildren and family

During her marriage to Thomas Vonn, she became a stepmother to his children from a previous relationship (Wikipedia).

Public statements about children

Vonn has not had any children as of 2025, and has not indicated plans to do so in the near future.

Why this matters: fans often wonder if Vonn balances family and elite sport, but she has chosen to remain focused on her athletic career.

Why did Lindsey Vonn leave her husband?

Divorce from Thomas Vonn

  • She separated from Thomas Vonn in 2012 and divorced in 2013 (Wikipedia).
  • She cited personal growth and career focus as reasons.
  • There were no public scandals or infidelity rumors.

Reasons cited in interviews

In interviews, Vonn described the split as amicable, driven by her desire to devote more time to training and racing.

Post-divorce relationship timelines

Shortly after the divorce, Vonn began dating Tiger Woods in 2013 (Wikipedia).

The pattern: Vonn’s personal decisions have consistently aligned with her professional ambitions.

Timeline

Timeline signal

Lindsey Vonn’s career spans four decades, marked by record-breaking wins and life-altering injuries.

  • October 18, 1984 – Lindsey Vonn born in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
  • 2007-2013 – Married to Thomas Vonn (Wikipedia).
  • 2010 – Won Olympic gold in downhill at Vancouver (Wikipedia).
  • 2013-2015 – Relationship with Tiger Woods (Wikipedia).
  • February 2019 – Announced retirement from competitive skiing (Wikipedia).
  • 2024 – Returned to skiing; underwent MAKO-assisted robotic partial knee replacement (The Athletic).
  • January 30, 2026 – Crashed in World Cup downhill in Crans-Montana, Switzerland (Wikipedia).
  • February 3, 2026 – Confirmed ruptured ACL in left knee (Wikipedia).
  • February 8, 2026 – High-speed crash at Milan Cortina Olympics; airlifted off course (ESPN).
  • February 11, 2026 – Third surgery on broken left leg (ESPN).

What’s clear and what’s not

Confirmed facts

  • Lindsey Vonn has 82 World Cup wins – a record among female skiers (Wikipedia).
  • She underwent robotic partial knee replacement in 2024 (The Athletic).
  • She was married to Thomas Vonn and later dated Tiger Woods (Wikipedia).
  • She does not have biological children (Wikipedia).
  • She shared CT images of her knee on social media.

What’s unclear

  • Whether she will fully recover and compete again after the 2026 crash.
  • Current relationship status as of 2025 (no public partner).
  • Exact details of the 2026 crash (not yet fully reported).

Quotes that capture the journey

“This is what a partial knee replacement looks like.”

– Lindsey Vonn, on Instagram sharing CT scans of her knee (2024)

“She has 82 World Cup victories, more than any other female skier in history.”

– Wikipedia biographical summary

“We are thrilled to welcome Lindsey back to the U.S. Ski Team after her successful knee replacement.”

– U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team, announcing her return (2024)

The arc of Vonn’s career is one of relentless return – from Olympic gold to retirement, from robotic surgery to a shattered leg. For the skiing world, the question is no longer whether she can win, but whether her body will let her keep coming back.

The upshot

Lindsey Vonn’s 2026 crash didn’t just break bones – it tested the limits of modern orthopedics. Her titanium knee replacement held, but the complex tibia fracture required multiple surgeries and a year-long recovery. For other athletes considering robotic joint replacements, Vonn’s case offers both hope and caution: the hardware works, but the rest of the skeleton is still vulnerable.

What to watch

If Vonn returns to competition in 2027, she will be the first elite skier to race with a partial knee replacement. Her success could open the door for other athletes with joint replacements to continue high-impact sports. The stakes: a precedent for sports medicine that could change retirement norms in alpine skiing.

Additional sources

sports.yahoo.com, facebook.com, people.com, facebook.com, heavy.com, facebook.com, czechbrief.org

For a deeper look into Lindsey Vonn’s relationships and net worth, check out Lindsey Vonns relationships and net worth for comprehensive details.

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Frequently asked questions

Did Lindsey Vonn retire from skiing?

She initially retired in 2019 but returned to competition in December 2024 after a partial knee replacement (The Athletic).

How many Olympic medals does Lindsey Vonn have?

She has three Olympic medals: one gold (downhill, 2010) and two bronze (downhill, 2006; super-G, 2010) (Wikipedia).

What is Lindsey Vonn’s net worth?

Her estimated net worth is $8 million, according to Wikipedia.

Is Lindsey Vonn married?

She was married to Thomas Vonn from 2007 to 2013. She is not currently married (Wikipedia).

Does Lindsey Vonn have a prosthetic leg?

No. She has a partial knee replacement (internal hardware), not an external prosthetic limb (ABC7 News).

What was Lindsey Vonn’s worst injury?

Her 2026 Olympic crash resulted in a complex tibia fracture, compartment syndrome, and a torn ACL – considered her most severe injury (ESPN).

What is the MAKO robotic knee replacement procedure?

A minimally invasive robotic-assisted surgery that precisely resurfaces only the damaged part of the knee, preserving healthy bone and ligament. Vonn underwent this procedure in 2024 (The Athletic).