Lindsey Vonn (Stefano Rellandini / Getty Images)

"Everything Was in Pieces": Lindsey Vonn Almost Lost Her Leg After Frightening Olympics Tumble

Lindsey Vonn has previously spoken out on social media since her terrifying crash while skiing at the Winter Olympics in Italy a couple of weeks ago. She fell on the slopes and sustained a very badly broken leg (a complex tibia fracture, to be precise.) Before that, Vonn tore her ACL.

Videos by Wide Open Country

Now she is taking to social media again in a candid Instagram video to say that she has finally left the hospital. Vonn also shared that she nearly had to have her damaged leg amputated because of the extent and severity of her injury. She admits that she has a long way to go before being fully healed.

Vonn's in a wheelchair at the moment; she revealed that also she broke her ankle. Crutches and rehab still await her. With characteristic moxie, the athlete added, "I'll get there." That fierce can-do attitude is why fans dearly love Lindsey Vonn.

Vonn Developed Compartment Syndrome

In the detailed video, Vonn explained that she had compartment syndrome. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons' OrthoInfo web site, "Compartment syndrome is a painful condition that occurs when pressure within the muscles builds to dangerous levels. This pressure can decrease blood flow, which prevents nourishment and oxygen from reaching nerve and muscle cells."

It can occur from an injury. That was the situation for Lindsey Vonn.

She Is Relieved To Be Out of the Hospital

The champion skiier is deeply grateful to all the doctors in Italy and America who cared for her. Lindsey Vonn knows that her journey back to wellness and mobility will be arduous, but she is ready.

Vonn said in the post with her video, "I'm finally out of the hospital!!! After almost 2 weeks of laying in a hospital bed almost completely immobile, I'm finally well enough to move to a hotel. It's not home yet, but it's a huge step!"

She added, "I hope I explained my injury well enough. I'm not a doctor so if I don't explain something perfectly please forgive me. When the injury happened the situation was quite challenging in many ways but in the end, the situation was brought back into control. Again, thank you Dr Tom Hackett"

The post continued, "Now I will focus on rehab and progressing from a wheelchair to crutches in a few weeks. It will take around a year for all of the bones to heal and then I will decide if I want to take out all the metal or not, and then go back into surgery and finally fix my ACL. It will be a long road but I'll get there. At least I'm out of the hospital"