Lindsey Vonn could face lifelong consequences from the complex tibia fracture sustained during the Winter Olympics alpine skiing women's downhill final. The former Olympic gold medalist crashed after hooking the inside of a gate with her right arm and was airflited off the Olimpia delle Tofane course to a hospital in Cortina d'Ampezzo.

Vonn, 41, has required three surgeries since and says the latest one was successful, adding in a post on social media that she is making slow progress. Specialist surgeons are now opining on the recovery process she faces following what Dr Bertrand Sonnery-Cottet has described as almost the worst injury for a high-level athlete.

The knee specialist at Santy Orthopaedic Centre in Lyon has spoken to the French network BFM TV. Sonnery-Cottet said: "I unfortunately think that this time, it's one injury too many.

"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 put in her left leg - proves that they haven't been able to repair her fracture fully; it's only temporary for now." He explains: "There are two reasons for this: either there was significant swelling, or the bone is practically shattered.

"You're faced with a puzzle where you have to put the pieces back together, and that's where it gets very complicated." Sonnery-Cottet continued: "It's important to understand that this injury is extremely serious and will cause her problems for at least months, and could even leave him with lifelong consequences.

"For a high-level athlete, this is almost the worst injury, because it requires constant monitoring, day after day, and it's impossible to make a prognosis two or three days after the injury. To fully understand the seriousness of the situation, it's important to understand that this type of fracture is mainly seen in road traffic accidents, particularly among motorcyclists, and today, no one can say for sure that it won't have very long-term consequences."

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The surgeon also spoke about what the coming weeks and months look like for Vonn. Sonnery-Cottet said: "She remains under close observation.

"She underwent a second procedure the following day, where they opened her muscle to prevent significant bleeding and potential necrosis and infection. Once she's out of this critical phase, plates will need to be placed over the fractures to properly heal the bone, but 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."

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