She was found to have sustained a complicated tibia fracture in her left leg and has, to date, undergone three surgical procedures to repair the damage from the incident. Vonn, amongst the most accomplished female skiers in history, had returned to competition after tearing ligaments in her left knee just nine days before the Games began. Vonn was heard crying out in agony following her fall as she competed at her fifth Winter Olympics.

Her hospital admission is now nearing seven days, though she remains optimistic about moving closer to discharge – and continuing her rehabilitation. She said in a new video posted to social media:”It’s just been so amazing and really helped me a lot.

“It’s been a quiet hard few days here in the hospital here. I’m finally feeling more like myself, but I have a long way to go. Tomorrow, I’ll have another surgery and hopefully that goes well. Then I can potentially leave and go back home, at which point I’ll need another surgery. Don’t know exactly what that entails until I get some better imaging.

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“That’s kind of where I’m at right now. I am just in the hospital, very much immobile, but I have a lot of friends and family coming to visit.”

Vonn made a remarkable comeback after initially retiring in 2019, returning to the sport five years later following a partial knee replacement. The 2010 downhill Olympic champion has previously refuted suggestions that her torn ACL and other injuries contributed to the crash.

Orthopaedic knee specialist, Dr Bertrand Sonnery-Cottet, based in Lyon, France, has indicated that Vonn faces additional hurdles in her recovery, raising the potential of amputation. Speaking to RMC Sport, he said: “The timeline is quite unpredictable. It will be months before she can walk normally again.

“Her goal now is – first and foremost – to keep her leg and be able to walk. I think we’re not yet at the stage of returning to high-level skiing. We’re not there yet, but some injuries like hers can end in amputation….

“The latest images posted on her Instagram account show that, even though the surgeries were successful, the ‘external fixator’ – that is, the enormous pin they have put in her left leg – proves they haven’t been able to repair her fracture fully.”

“It’s only temporary for now. It’s important to understand that her injury is extremely serious and will cause her problems for at least months, and could even leave her with lifelong consequences.”