Going to the Olympics with a bad knee: How is that supposed to work?

A slight driving error can be disastrous on the descent. Kjetil Jansrud was traveling at high speed in Beaver Creek on December 3, 2021, when he lost control on a left-hand bend, fell and crashed into the safety net and later had to swallow the bitter diagnosis: the cruciate ligament and collateral ligaments in the left knee were severely damaged - the extent of the injury could only be found out during an operation. “I have to finish my season here, but I am motivated to come back” , the Norwegian wrote on social media at the time.

That was almost two months ago. Since then, things have been quiet around Jansrud - until he posted earlier this week dropped the bomb . The 36-year-old will compete at the Olympic Games in Beijing. “Everyone thought I was done, but I’m not,” the 2014 Olympic super-G champion told the audience VG . Still, the ski world is amazed at this lightning healing. A torn cruciate ligament usually requires surgery, followed by a months-long rehabilitation phase. A downtime of less than half a year is practically impossible. But why can Jansrud now take part in a ski race at speeds of over 100 km/h after just two months?

Ski star Kjetil Jansrud. © APA / GEORG HOCHMUTH

What can be said is that the Scandinavian was treated in a conservative manner. Means: His knee ligaments were not operated on, even though that was originally planned. Instead, Jansrud underwent intensive rehab. The Norwegian, who will ride in Beijing with a special knee brace, says he is not taking any risks by taking part in the Olympics. But is that really realistic? That's what the expert says If Gregor Comploi has his way, then yes. The man from Val Gardena is a renowned physiotherapist and has worked with numerous local and international professional athletes in the past, including tennis superstars Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev cared for. He says: According to the latest scientific findings, cruciate ligament surgery is no longer a must, even for high-performance athletes. “Jansrud does take a small portion of risk.” Gregor Comploi “Science has been moving in this direction for a long time. If you have a cruciate ligament injury, there is a 50 percent chance of success without surgery,” says Comploi. “By mid-February, it had been two and a half months since Jansrud’s cruciate ligament injury. If the healing is optimal, if he has worked really well, it is possible for him to start - and also for him to win, otherwise he would not compete. Although two and a half months is borderline, I would normally wait a month longer. So Jansrud is taking a small portion of risk.”

Gregor Comploi (right) with tennis star Novak Djokovic, who often receives treatment from the Val Gardena resident.

The cruciate ligament is responsible for providing stability to the knee. Consequently, it is essential for high-speed descents where incredible forces are applied to the body. Rehabilitation is therefore crucial, especially if the damaged ligament is not operated on. “First of all, you have to look at what the structural injury is. “Then we work on mobility, later we work on balance and stability, then we do strength exercises and at the end we do sport-specific exercises,” says Comploi, explaining the rough process of conservative cruciate ligament treatment. If it becomes apparent during this phase that the knee is not holding, an operation is necessary.

Comploi knows from his own experience that the route without surgery can also be successful. “I have had a few patients here myself who did not undergo surgery after a cruciate ligament injury. After a while they did a magnetic resonance scan, which showed that the cruciate ligament had healed back together on its own.” So we can look forward to Kjetil Jansrud’s Olympic participation and his future path.

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Going to the Olympics with a bad knee: How is that supposed to work?

It was a note that made waves: Kjetil Jansrud will take part in the Olympic Games - even though he suffered a serious cruciate ligament injury almost two months ago. How is that supposed to work? s+ spoke to an expert.

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