Federica Brignone gets checked out: everything’s fine!
Top-tier skier Federica Brignone has returned to J Medical in Turin for a follow-up exam ahead of the upcoming competitive season. The Italian athlete, a two-time gold medalist at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Games, underwent a series of tests following surgery performed after the serious injury she sustained on April 3, 2025, during the giant slalom at the Italian Championships in Val di Fassa. On that occasion, the Carabinieri officer from Valle d’Aosta suffered a fracture of the tibia and fibula in her left leg. The tests showed that the fracture has healed well. Also present at the Turin medical center alongside Federica was tennis player Elisabetta Cocciaretto, who was there for routine checkups.
Today’s visit marks another step in a long and complex recovery process that has required three surgical procedures. The most recent surgery, performed on August 25 at the La Madonnina Clinic in Milan by Dr. Andrea Panzeri, president of the FISI Medical Commission, involved the removal of the plate and screws inserted into her left knee following the serious injury in 2025. The operation was a complete success, and Panzeri himself painted an encouraging picture: “We found the knee in almost better condition than I had expected. The cruciate ligament was in fair condition, as was the meniscus.” Recovery time was estimated at between four and six weeks.
Upon leaving the clinic, Brignone herself reassured fans with a direct message: “I had surgery yesterday, and everything went well: they removed the plate and screws, just as Dr. Panzeri had already announced. Now I’ll have to use crutches for a few days before starting physical therapy, and then I’ll resume athletic training. I’m very happy; my knee is fine, and I’m feeling good too.” Due to the surgery, the champion from the Aosta Valley had to skip the national team’s summer training camp in Ushuaia, Argentina, where the rest of the Italian squad was training on snow.
Meanwhile, Brignone has continued to seek inspiration in the world of sports. A few days ago, she was in Monza for the Italian Formula 1 Grand Prix, where she celebrated the victory of young Kimi Antonelli alongside other great Italian athletes, including Jannik Sinner. In an interview with *La Gazzetta dello Sport*, the skier also offered some advice to the driver from Bologna: “He needs to stay true to himself. He needs to keep having fun, just as I see him doing today in Formula 1 despite the pressure of the World Championship battle. When you start winning, other people’s expectations and the hype around you grow bigger and bigger, and it’s hard to hold onto that initial joy.”
