2026 Winter Olympics

Good morning!

We're here with Dr. Brendan Higgins a US ski team physician-pool member and sports medicine surgeon at Concord Orthopaedics to discuss the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics.

Question: Dr. Higgins, there has been a lot of news in the last 24-48 hours in regard to Lindsey Vonn's ACL injury as she attempts to make a comeback at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Can you tell us what the ACL is and why is it important in skiing?

Dr. Higgins: "ACL stands for anterior cruciate ligament. It is one of the two ligaments, along with the posterior cruciate ligament, that runs in the center of the knee and helps provide stability for the knee - particularly in cutting and pivoting type activities such as ski racing."

Question: It seems like most of the time when high level athletes tear their ACL, they are no longer able to compete in their chosen sport. Is Lyndsey Vonn going to be able to race in the Olympics this weekend?

Dr. Higgins: "I don't think anybody knows the answer to that question. If you had asked me six months ago if a 41-year-old can be competitive in downhill ski racing on the World Cup circuit, I would have said, (Not a chance). And if you had asked me if someone could take six years off from competitive ski racing and then come back and within two races stand on a World Cup podium, I would have said, (Not a chance). Lindsey Vonn has done all three of these things. She has come back at age 41, with a partial knee replacement, after being away for nearly 7 years and immediately regarded her title as the most dominant female speed skier in the world. In many ways, I think those obstacles are more significant than skiing without an intact ACL."

Question: Would you recommend that recreational skiers continue skiing without an intact ACL?

Dr. Higgins: "Every patient and every skier is different. And we treat every patient and every skier individually. However, most patients and most skiers are not Lindsey Vonn. A knee that does not have a functional ACL is inherently unstable, and instability within the knee can lead to further injury to structures such as the cartilage and meniscus. Those types of injuries can accelerate the process of arthritis within the knee. So generally speaking, you need an intact ACL in order to ski. We have several Sports Medicine trained surgeons at Concord Orthopaedics happy to help any patient determine the best way to get back onto the slopes".

Brendan T. Higgins, MD