Olsson’s knee injury worse than suspected

By Published On: September 24th, 2015Comments Off on Olsson’s knee injury worse than suspected

The Swedish Ski Association announced that the right knee injury which forced Matts Olsson to end his training camp with the national team in Argentina last week has turned out to be worse than originally suspected. Olsson was initially diagnosed with a bone bruise in the right knee and was optimistic for a return to competition in time for the World Cup season opener in Soelden, Austria, on Oct. 25.

The news changed suddenly today when it was announced that the World Cup giant slalom specialist will not race at all in the upcoming 2015-16 season.

The results of an MRI conducted on Tuesday at Sophie Hospital in Stockholm revealed that Olsson has additionally sustained a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the right knee and will require surgery.

“A positive for Matts is that he has full movement in the knee and no swelling, so we plan to have the surgery at Sports Medicine in Umeå in the near future,” said national team doctor Per Liljeholm. “The important thing now is that he retains movement in the knee and (minimizes) any swelling until surgery.”

Olsson was dispirited about the injury suffered just prior to the start of the competition season but is determined to return for the 2016-17 season in full health.

“It’s downright (disappointing), but now there isn’t much I can do about it so I will take the time it takes to come back properly. I’m aiming to be back fully with my skiing for the kick off next season,” said Olsson.

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About the Author: C.J. Feehan

Christine J. Feehan is a USSA Level 300 coach who spent more than a decade training athletes at U.S. ski academies - Burke, Sugar Bowl, and Killington - before serving as Editor in Chief at Ski Racing Media through 2017. She worked for the FIS on the World Cup tour for three years and then settled into her current home in Oslo, Norway.