American skier Lindsey Vonn says she nearly lost her left leg following a frightening crash in the women's downhill at the Milan Cortina Olympics.
Vonn revealed on Monday that her injuries went far beyond the complex tibia fracture in the leg she initially hurt after clipping a gate and sailing off course just 13 seconds into her run on Feb. 8.
The 41-year-old Vonn said the trauma from the crash led to compartment syndrome in her leg. Compartment syndrome involves excessive pressure building up inside a muscle, either from bleeding or swelling. High pressure restricts blood flow and can lead to permanent injury if not treated quickly.