Alpine Skier Mikaela Shiffrin Returned to the Sport After Suffering a Life-Changing Injury

Alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin is at the top of her game in the skiing world. She holds the record for the most World Cup wins of any alpine skier in history (men or women) and is considered one of the greatest alpine skiers of all time. And, if that weren't impressive enough, Mikaela holds the record for being the youngest slalom gold medalist in Olympic history.

The Vail, Colo. native also developed a strong fanbase who are rooting for her success on and off the slopes. Many of her fans have remained by her side as she healed from a traumatic event that could've ended her career, and watched her get back on her skis like nothing ever happened.

But, what exactly did happen to Mikaela? Here's everything to know.

In November 2024, Mikaela suffered a traumatic puncture to her oblique muscles that appeared out of nowhere. According to ESPN, she was leading after the first run of the giant slalom and had the finish line in sight on her final run when she lost an edge and slid into a gate, flipping over her skis. Mikaela then slammed into another gate before she eventually crashed into the protective fencing.

According to Mikaela, she has no idea what led to the puncture wound, but said it was "a millimeter from pretty catastrophic." The athlete also opened up about the accident more in a May 2025 essay for The Players' Tribune.

"And it’s honestly kind of difficult to explain what the pain felt like," Mikaela admitted. "But the closest I can get would probably be, it was like … not only was there a knife stabbing me, but the knife was actually still inside of me. Like if someone had stabbed me in my abdomen, and then, instead of pulling the knife out, they, I don’t know, they just … left it there?"

In late January 2025, Mikaela returned to the World Cup circuit. However, it took her awhile to return to the giant slalom, as it remained a source of anxiety, and she skipped the event at world championships.

"Everyone knows what it feels like to have a bad cough. But PTSD ... it's not like that," Mikaela further wrote in her Players' Tribune essay. "It comes in all shapes and sizes. Everyone experiences it in their own way, and no two cases are exactly alike."

In December 2025, over a year after her accident, Mikaela returned to race the giant slalom at the Copper Mountain World Cup. Ahead of her much-anticipated return, she shared several photos and videos of her progress over the last year.

"What a difference a year makes," the athlete wrote. "At the time, it was hard to feel progress day-to-day… but looking back now it’s so clear. Feeling very thankful right now."