It would take ‘four to five months’ for Italy’s Olympic hopeful Brignone to return to skiing.

Italy’s star alpine skier Federica Brignone faces a race against time after suffering a devastating injury in early April, yet she remains determined to be back on her skis within four to five months. Brignone, aged 34, broke multiple bones in her left leg and ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during a giant slalom crash at the Italian championships in Val di Fassa . The World Cup overall champion and reigning world giant slalom gold medallist was airlifted to hospital in Trento, where doctors confirmed a multi-fragmentary compound fracture of the tibial plateau and head of the fibula, in addition to an ACL tear . Speaking from her rehabilitation centre in Milan, Brignone was candid about the long road ahead: “Before four or five months it’s impossible and that’s if everything goes well,” she said, adding that her first goal is simply to walk again .

Career at a Glance

A Stellar Season Cut Short

Federica Brignone capped what was arguably the best season of her career by securing the overall Alpine Skiing World Cup title and clinching the giant slalom world championship gold in Saalbach in February 2025 . Over the course of the 2024–25 campaign, she amassed ten World Cup victories across giant slalom, super-G and downhill disciplines, becoming the oldest woman to win a World Cup race at age 34 . Her triumphs had placed her at the forefront of Italy’s medal hopes for the home Winter Olympics scheduled for February 2026 in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo .

Olympic Ambitions

With the Milano Cortina 2026 Games set to run from 6 to 22 February 2026, Brignone was widely tipped as one of her nation’s leading medal prospects in alpine skiing . Italy’s winter sports federation had organized a media day shortly before her crash to showcase its top athletes, underscoring the high expectations placed on Brignone and her teammates .

The Incident: Val di Fassa Crash

The Moment of Impact

On 3 April 2025, during the giant slalom at the Italian championships held in the Lusia ski area of Val di Fassa, Brignone caught an edge on a gate, causing her legs to become entangled and sending her tumbling out of control . Spectators watched in horror as the two-time World Cup giant slalom champion was carried off on a toboggan, clutching her left leg in visible pain .

Extent of Injuries

Medical scans revealed a complex fracture: the tibial plateau—the upper surface of the shinbone that bears weight in the knee joint—was shattered into multiple fragments, and the fibular head was also fractured . During surgery in Milan, surgeons discovered that she had also sustained a complete rupture of her ACL, the critical ligament stabilizing knee rotation and forward movement of the tibia . The emergency operation was deemed successful, but Brignone’s path to recovery would be long and painstaking .

Mapping the Road to Recovery

Brignone’s Timeline

“I don’t know. We’re not doctors and they don’t know. Everything depends on how the physiotherapy goes … on how my body responds. But before four or five months it’s impossible,” Brignone explained, underlining the uncertainty inherent in elite sports rehabilitation . She added that treating the ACL will only be considered once the tibial fracture has fully healed, emphasizing the need for the leg to regain its structural integrity before ligament reconstruction .

Phases of Rehabilitation

• Phase 1: Protection and Healing (Weeks 0–8)
  Initial management involves immobilization, non–weight-bearing with crutches, and preventing complications such as stiffness or muscle atrophy. Patients with tibial plateau fractures typically begin gentle range-of-motion exercises under guidance around two to three weeks post-operation, with toe-touch weight-bearing lasting up to six to nine weeks .
• Phase 2: Weight-Bearing and Mobility (Weeks 8–12)
  Around the three-month mark, repeat radiographs confirm fracture union and allow progression to full weight-bearing. Rehabilitation focuses on restoring knee flexion, extension, and building quadriceps and hamstring strength . By six to nine months post-fracture, many patients can return to normal daily activities and light sports, though high-impact athletics may be delayed longer .
• Phase 3: ACL Reconstruction and Advanced Rehab (Months 3–6)
  Once the tibia is healed, surgeons will address the ACL tear, typically with arthroscopic reconstruction using a graft. Mayo Clinic guidelines recommend several weeks of supervised physical therapy to regain knee stability, with bracing and graduated loading protocols .
• Phase 4: Return to Skiing (Months 4–5)
  Brignone’s optimistic target—to be back on skis within four to five months—suggests a carefully monitored progression from off-snow balance exercises to light ski simulations and, eventually, on-snow drills, provided her knee demonstrates sufficient strength and stability .

Medical Perspective

Tibial Plateau Fracture Recovery

Tibial plateau fractures are intra-articular injuries that risk post-traumatic arthritis without precise restoration. Rehabilitation protocols balance protection of the articular surface against the benefits of early weight-bearing, which can fast-track functional recovery when performed judiciously . Most experts note a typical timeline of three to six months for significant healing, though high-level athletes often progress more rapidly under intensive physiotherapy .

ACL Reconstruction Outcomes

An ACL reconstruction aims to restore knee stability, with most athletes achieving a return to pivoting sports in eight to twelve months . However, skiing demands controlled edge forces and dynamic balance; thus, clinicians may recommend a longer build-up to full technical training. Early prehabilitation—strengthening and neuromuscular training before surgery—can shorten overall recovery time by improving postoperative outcomes .

Psychological and Team Support

Brignone’s teammate Sofia Goggia, herself a serial injury survivor who won Olympic downhill silver in Beijing 2022 despite a partial cruciate tear just weeks earlier, reached out immediately after Brignone’s crash to offer encouragement . “I would have wanted to be there, seeing unfortunately the experience I’ve had,” Goggia said, reminding Brignone that resilience and positive mindset can underpin a successful comeback .

Implications for Milano Cortina 2026

Despite the harrowing setback, Brignone remains a central figure in Italy’s Olympic campaign. With the Games opening on 6 February 2026—just ten months after her injury—being back on skis by late August or September 2025 would afford her crucial months of technical training and World Cup competition to regain race sharpness . Italy’s one‑year countdown celebration in Milan in early February 2025 underscored the nation’s Olympic fervor and the vital role top athletes like Brignone play in its promotional efforts .

Conclusion

Federica Brignone’s ambition to return to skiing within four to five months reflects both her personal determination and the structured support from medical and coaching teams. While conventional wisdom suggests an eight‑to‑twelve‑month timeline for ACL sports recovery, the interplay of her tibial plateau fracture, ACL repair, and elite physiotherapy program may compress parts of the process. If all goes to plan, Brignone could be back on her beloved skis by late summer, setting the stage for a thrilling bid to conquer the slopes once more on home snow at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.