Sir Chris Hoy has revealed he was warned his leg might need to be amputated after a cycling crash last year, as he expressed solidarity with skier Lindsey Vonn following her horrific injury at the Winter Olympics.
The six-time Olympic champion, who is also undergoing treatment for prostate cancer, said doctors told him about the risk of amputation due to compartment syndrome, a condition Vonn also developed after her crash in the women's downhill race in February.
Speaking on his Sporting Midadventures podcast, Hoy said: "The doctors tell you that because of compartment syndrome, there is a risk of amputation for anyone in that situation. I was given the same warning."
Vonn, 41, described her injury as "by far the most extreme, painful and challenging" she has ever had, adding that "everything was in pieces." She credited Dr Tom Hackett with saving her leg through a fasciotomy, a procedure that involves cutting open the leg to relieve pressure.
Hoy, who sustained a tibia plateau fracture, noted the similarities between their injuries. "Looking at all her fractures, the X-rays and the media coverage, it's a very similar injury," he said. "She's right in the thick of it now and my thoughts are with her."
Despite his own recovery challenges, Hoy remains active on his bike, saying: "I've got a slight limp but on the bike, it's the least painful, so I'm back doing two-and-a-half-hour rides."
