The topic “tibia” is currently trending due to the recent news surrounding Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn, who sustained a severe injury during her final race at the Olympics. Reports indicate that she suffered a complex tibia fracture, which has garnered significant media attention. This serious injury typically requires substantial medical intervention, including multiple surgeries, as mentioned in the coverage.
The nature of Vonn’s injury has led to increased search interest in the term “tibia.” As a prominent athlete widely recognized for her achievements in skiing, the details of her injury resonate strongly with both fans of the sport and the general public. The specific mention of a complex fracture further emphasizes the severity of the situation, prompting individuals to seek more information about the condition, treatment, and recovery associated with such injuries.
Additionally, the media has widely reported on Vonn’s situation across multiple outlets, amplifying the visibility of the term “tibia.” As a result, people are likely turning to search engines to understand more about how this type of injury occurs, the implications for Vonn’s career, and general knowledge regarding tibia fractures in athletes. The combination of Vonn’s high profile and the dramatic nature of her injury has led to a spike in search volume related to the keyword “tibia.”
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C
I’m currently recovering from a really nasty complex tibia fracture! 0/10 do not recommend. Pair that with her ACL, and she’s in for a long ~~old~~ *ol’* recovery.
D
I had a nasty tibial plateau fracture and damage to a ligament a few years ago. I wasn’t sure I’d ever walk normally again. But after multiple surgeries and months of PT, I’ve recovered almost totally and I don’t have daily pain anymore. Best of luck to you in your recovery!
C
Thank you! Yup, I absolutely destroyed the top of my tibia back in August. I had a Type 6 comminuted bicondylar tibial plateau fracture, a proximal tibia fracture, and a proximal fibula fracture. Followed by a nasty infection. 3 total surgeries, lots of plates and screws, and now lots and lots of PT! I just took my first unassisted steps today actually! 💪🏼
D
Another tibial plateau fracture victim checking in! After about two years and five surgeries (multiple osteotomies to fix a valgus, some hardware removal, etc) and a frustrating bout with sciatica, I’m hoping to be on the right track. I’m hoping to be just able to walk long distances pain-free over time, couldn’t even imagine trying to ski after all this. Congrats on the steps!
C
You’ve got this! Hoping it all goes smoothly for you from here I’m just praying I don’t get to the point where I have to have any hardware taken out. Really don’t wanna go through another procedure lol Edit: Thank you!
D
I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that unless it starts to physically bother you! The only reason they removed some of mine is because they were putting more in on the other side after the initial surgery had healed haha. The hardware removal surgery wasn’t bad at all though, I was in and out in a day and was able to weight-bear afterward.
D
I asked my ortho if he could take my hardware out. Because I’m fairly thin the hardware is visible and people comment on it but he said “because it’s ugly” isn’t a good reason.
C
Makes sense – don’t wanna open it up unless absolutely necessary. Last thing you want is an infection, trust me. Those heavy antibiotics are absolutely miserable
A
Let’s fucking go dude congrats
C
Ty! 🙏🏼
P
Yo, pretty similar injury for me in the beginning of September. I tore my MCL, LCL, strained my ACL, bicondylar ritual plateau fracture. Broke both of the knobs off of my tibia and split my bone down the middle. I fell off my large electric scooter and it slammed my tibia into my femur. They had to pull my tibia away from my femur. I had an external fixator installed with pins going into my lower tibia and upper femur for about a week and then internal plates and screws. About 12 inches of metal and 14 screws. I had to get a third surgery in mid December to release my muscle from the bone since the scar tissue wasnt letting me bend my knee. I’ve been in PT since October, and still a couple more months. Can’t jog yet, cant lead on stairs up or down with my injured leg, but I am making progress each week. It feels slow going, but I’m finally out of my brace. You got this!
C
Very similar, as I came off my scooter too. External fixation for 3 weeks followed by the ORIF. Then had the infection so had to have debridement surgery and a long course of heavy hitting antibiotics. Horrible muscle atrophy & loss of range of motion after being locked straight and non weight bearing. It’s def slow going, but when I need a bit of encouragement, I just think back to the state I was in initially. I’ve already come so far, as have you. The rest is easy in comparison, you just have to show up and put in the hard hours at PT, as well as doing it in your free time. It’s a nasty nasty injury, but we’ll get there! Baby steps! 💪🏼💪🏼 Stay strong
P
Dang, scooters are tougher than I expected. How fast do you think you were going? I didn’t look at my speedometer prior to it happening. Went down on concrete. Yeah, same issue I dealt with. Being straight legged for so long combined with no muscle use absolutely shriveled up my quads. I got electrical stimulation at PT, and that made a massive difference. I fortunately didn’t go through the infection. Sounds awful. Yeah, definitely had some really low mental moments throughout the worst of it. But looking back helped. Started from a bed pan and being in the hospital for two weeks. The pain was miserable. I don’t wish anyone to go through it. Yeah, I walk all of the time. I haven’t let it stop me from doing anything. Even went to the snow for New Years. Was still using my walker at that time. It gets better in such a slow rate that its not really noticeable in the moment.
C
I was going pretty slow! Just hit a patch of badly damaged sidewalk. Definitely the kind of recovery that you need to zoom out to appreciate the progress, and all the small life things you get back gradually. Some *very* dark, low days along the way though. I had my big 6 hour ORIF surgery the day before my birthday, so I spent my birthday in the peak of the post op pain. Just wave after wave of unbearable pain. Succcccked big time I also couldn’t go home due to accessibility issues, so had to live in a handicapped hotel room in between surgeries & hospital stays. That was super mentally challenging too.
P
Dang, yeah, I didnt think I was going fast either. It felt like slow motion when my hands came off the handlebars. Awe that definitely is rough. Did you have anyone to take care of you? My wife stayed by my side throughout. She wouldn’t leave the hospital. Yeah, the pain is just a different level. It didnt feel like they ever gave me enough to get rid of it. Fortunately never dealt with constipation. Having that surgery the day before your birthday had to really suck. You do really enjoy the small things when making it through something like that. I have a small smile every time I get out of bed and walk to the bathroom without my walker and not needing to put a brace on. Learning how to walk normal again is a challenge.
C
Yes! I’m very fortunate to have a great support system of family and friends who went above and beyond. My parents and my wife really dropped everything to help out. I can’t imagine trying to get through an experience like this solo. It’s probably the reality for some though
L
Wow, we’ve had very similar injuries, including the nasty infection! I’ve had three surgeries so far, and probably about two more, since the infection appears to have lead to a nonunion in one of the fractures, and they’ll still need to go in and take all of the hardware out after everything is healed. My original injury was in June. Congrats on getting back up on your feet — it’s a heck of a journey!
C
Ooof, best of luck to you stranger! You’re absolutely right it’s been a beast lol. Wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy
B
What’s bad is the bone will probably heal long before the ACL.
H
If only there was some way anyone could have known that competing at the highest possible level of the sport on a torn ACL was perhaps not setting her up for success…
N
She shouldn’t have been allowed to compete to begin with. Doesn’t matter how long she’s been practicing for this day, safety should’ve came 1st.
B
Completely agree, didn’t feel normal again until I got my hardware out.
F
Is a fracture better or worse than a break? I guess it would mostly depend on how nicely things could be mushed back together again?
C
A fracture is a break. Many different kinds of fractures, ranging in severity. The fact she said it was a complex break means it’s probably broken in multiple places, and could possibly have broken skin (compound fracture) which increases infection risks. That’s totally speculation tho. Where on the tibia matters too – proximal involves the top of the tibia/lower half of the knee joint so that impacts your joint mechanics as well. If it’s at the other end, it likely impacts ankle mechanics. Could also be broken in the middle of the tibia shaft.
N
God thats terrible. My mom broke her tibia in a fall last year and recovery was long and painful, she had to wear a fixiator for a month and couldn’t bend her leg at all during that time, which made the PT afterwards even more difficult. It’s been 8 months and she’s doing really well now but it was really brutal for her both physically and mentally. This injury seems even worse, I’m really wishing Lindsey the best for her recovery.
C
Hoping Lindsey Vonn makes a full recovery. That was one hell of a crashed on an already destroyed knee.
J
We all wish her a full recovery. She shouldn’t have done that.
O
See my thing, isn’t to say “she shouldn’t have done that.” I’m sure she had her entire coaching staff, medical staff, etc., telling her that she was still able to compete, and she knows her body well enough. It’s also an unfathomable situation to be able to compete in the Olympics and at the level that she does, and as many times as she had. I do not blame her one bit at all for going for it, to say I wouldn’t do the same in her situation is unreasonably untrue as a I don’t know if I would or not, and 99.9% of us will never be in that situation in the first place. However, what I take issue with is people saying that her injury had nothing to do with her crash in that final run. While she may have not felt much pain from her initial injury, because for my understanding that injury can be relatively painless for some individuals depending on the situation. We also know though, that subconsciously when we are injured, we will tend to favor the opposite side or be more ginger on the injured parts of our body; something that is not always in our control. And if she was in pain and on pain medicine, that can also alter how we react and things like that. So I do not fault her one bit for going for it, however, it is highly likely her initial injury was a factor which pushed her to be slightly off course and run into the flag.
Y
I’ve met some of the sports docs for the Olympic teams. It’s hard to tell elite athletes what the definitive stop point is
O
Heck, not even just elite athletes. I can only imagine what it would be like working with an athlete at her level. I broke my toe two weeks before a marathon, when I went to the doctor and they took x-rays and verified that my toe is broken. The doctor told me “I would advise you to not run your marathon, however, my wife is a marathon runner so I know you are going to do it anyway no matter what I say please just listen to your body, and a bare minimum buddy tape your toes” This was just an urgent care doctor dealing with a Joe Schmoe who happens to enjoy running, so I imagine dealing with someone at her level of athleticism and competition is a completely different scenario altogether
A
I doubt the medical team told her she could still compete, it seemed more like they advised her to the best of their abilities enough to go out and do her best. Would she have won even if she didn’t crash? Maybe not but I’m sure that she wanted her last competition to go out on her ow terms
O
Maybe I should rephrase what I meant.. I don’t think the medical team would’ve told her to “go out there and do it no problemo,” but I do think they would have told her that it is still a possibility for her to compete. If it was completely off the table, I don’t believe she would’ve been allowed at all in the first place, regardless of how she personally felt. I suppose a better way to put it would be to say that she was likely cleared to compete, although it’s definitely possible the medical team advised against it
T
I completely agree. This wasn’t a head injury, where the nature of the injury itself reduces the athlete’s ability to judge the severity. She knew the risks, knew the stakes, and made an informed decision as an adult. Is it the decision I’d have made? Heck no. But then again, I don’t have the ambition and drive to become one of the best skiers of all time. I doubt you can separate the drive that got her where she is from her decision to try to press through the injury.
A
She shouldn’t have done that, especially after messing it up 9 days prior.
S
While that attitude isn’t the only reason that most people will never place in the Olympics, it’s a pretty damn big one.
G
Many people would rather be able to walk than have an Olympic medal. I know I would
L
Walking with a limp is still walking
C
She’ll be able to walk again
T
Are you an Olympic athlete?
G
No.
T
Then it’s not really a choice you will ever have to actually face and make, is it?
O
Sports are dangerous sometimes. This crash could have happened to anyone. Living your life involves some risk.
S
It’s not an attitude but reality. I’m sure there were backups, and she should have stepped aside. She was already severely handicapped.
H
“I’m sure there were backups” Well I’m sorry, but you’re wrong. There aren’t backups or alternates for women’s downhill skiing. If she pulled out of the event there simply would have been one less skier on the day
M
If the downhill world cup leader wants to race, she should. It is also a lot more common than you think to race without a functioning ACL. Joana Hählen had competed with a torn ACL since 2017, and two torn ACLs since 2024.
A
Can’t say if she’ll regret it or not but I could see knowing you tried as being worth it, plus you have an injury but there’s a story to go along with it; the other version of the story is just that she played it safe; maybe she would prefer that in retrospect, maybe not, but either way it’s done now
D
She did for sponsorship money. Got some big ass balls knowing you’re 100% going to get hurt. That was likely her last run in competition.
S
Hate to say it but don’t think anyone makes *full* recovery from that.
A
She gave it her all, left it all out there, heal up and have a wonderful post competition life.
P
She legit sacrificed her body over and over again many people would have given up long ago she earned her 3 Olympic medals 🥇🥈🥉
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