Teresa Runggaldier has since gotten rid of her crutches. © Social Media

After horror injury: “Could hardly watch the ski races”

Teresa Runggaldier's season came to an abrupt end in early December. The 26-year-old crashed during training in Copper Mountain (USA) shortly before the World Cup opener, resulting in total damage to her right knee. Around five months later, the Val Gardena native sees the light at the end of the tunnel.

26 April 2025

She was the big riser in Italy's speed team in the season before last. This year, however, Teresa Runggaldier was unable to demonstrate her skills. A serious training crash resulted in a cruciate and medial ligament tear, cartilage damage to the tibial plateau, and a meniscus injury. In a short interview with SportNews The speed specialist from Wolkenstein spoke about difficult hours in front of the television, her healing process and her future plans.

You had surgery almost exactly four months ago. How did you feel mentally afterward?

"I handled it well and wasn't too worried. Watching on TV, on the other hand, was tough. I barely watched the first races in North America. After that, though, I got used to it, even though you obviously want to be there and compete. I was also there in person in St. Anton. However, due to the soft snow conditions, my desire to participate was limited."


And physically?

"In the first ten days after the surgery, I had quite severe pain in my leg. It was especially uncomfortable when sleeping. After that, things improved quite quickly. I was able to put the crutches aside after a month and a half."

Teresa Runggaldier talks about her comeback. © Pentaphoto

What were the first steps in physiotherapy?

"I completed rehabilitation in Austria. Initially, the focus was on normal walking and stretching the leg, which was very difficult. They reconstructed the cruciate ligament using a tendon from the femur. While this method results in a longer healing time, it is supposed to give the new cruciate ligament greater stability. Over time, we began to put more weight on the leg. I'm already at a good point."


Can you do everything without discomfort?

"Not everything. For example, I'm currently advised against running. I'm also not lifting too much weight in the weight room. At this stage, I'm doing a lot of balance training to regain stability. I'm working on my endurance through cycling. The important thing is: I've had two X-rays since the surgery, and everything is as it should be."


Do you already have a concrete idea when you can ski again?

"No, I haven't made a plan. I'm just seeing how it goes day by day. But of course I have an idea. If I could make my first turns at the end of July, that would be great. But I have to take everything slowly, because the new cruciate ligament won't be 100 percent stable until nine months after the surgery. I can already ski, but without putting too much strain on myself. For now, I'm looking forward to a two-week vacation in Sri Lanka."