Petra Vlhova on the abyss: setback after knee injury shakes career

Petra Vlhova on the abyss: setback after knee injury shakes career

Jasna, Slowakei - Petra Vlhova, the successful ski racer from Slovakia and Olympic champion in slalom, is faced with enormous challenges after a serious knee injury. This injury occurred in January 2024 during a race in Jasna, where she pulled a cross and inner ligament tear in the right knee. Around 14 months after the accident, Vlhova continues to fight with the consequences of this injury and reports of an intensive burden that is both physical and mental nature. In an interview, she said that due to the injury, she could not live a normal life and felt pain in the event of any stress. In addition, she describes that she is torn inside and has great doubts whether she will ever be on skiing again.

The situation for Vlhova was also complicated by complications after a first operation that took place in January, and a subsequent renewed operation in March 2025. Your team announced that it continued to suffer from complaints in the knee that makes full stress when skiing incompatible. Comprehensive examinations have resulted in cartilage damage that require specialized treatment. Her trainer, Mauro Pini, emphasizes that returning to the competition is a difficult time for Vlhova and not everything goes according to plan. It remains unclear whether she can return at the World Championships in Saalbach, Austria in February.

psychological stress and rehabilitation

The psychological component of rehabilitation is often a neglected aspect, which is, however, crucial for the healing process. The mental constitution of the athletes significantly influences their recovery. According to experts, athletes are often physically ready, but are not mentally able to compete again immediately. In this context, Vlhova reported the enormous psychological stress that she learns during her rehabilitation phase. Fears and uncertainties can make the return to the top performance considerably more difficult and thus make support from trainers and teammates all the more important.

Personal experiences like those of Vlhova illustrate how complex the process of returning to sport can be after injuries. A consensus statement differentiates between different phases of the rehabilitation process: from "Return-to-Activity" (RTA) to "Return-to-Competition" (RTC). These phases help athletes to better understand their progress and to adapt to the following steps of rehabilitation.

the look ahead

Despite the current uncertainties, Vlhova is determined to emerge strengthened from this crisis. Your dream of participating in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy remains an incentive. However, it remains to be seen how your health will develop in the coming months. The sporting competition does not stop: at the same time Vlhova also reacted to the violation of her greatest rival, Mikaela Shiffrin, which is also failing.