The Wall Street Journal reports that when Lindsey Vonn underwent a partial knee replacement last April, it seemed a mere postscript to her stellar career. She had already been retired from ski racing for more than five years. And after a string of injuries, surgery felt like a natural conclusion.

But instead of simply patching up the damage to Vonn’s knee and ending her days on the slopes, the surgery has marked a new beginning for one of the greatest skiers of all time. 

Against all odds—and testing the limits of science and human resilience—the 40-year-old Vonn is set to ski in World Cup Super G races in St. Moritz, Switzerland. 

Martin W. Roche, MD, knee surgeon and director of arthroplasty at HSS Florida, took on the partial reconstruction last spring. With robotic assistance, he precisely resurfaced the most damaged parts on the outside of Vonn’s knee with titanium alloys and polyethylene components. The replacement parts were custom positioned based on a medical imaging of Vonn’s knee joint.

Read the full article at wsj.com.