Marcel Hirscher: Comeback plan after the cruciate ligament rupture is on the brink!

Marcel Hirscher: Comeback plan after the cruciate ligament rupture is on the brink!

Schladming, Österreich - Marcel Hirscher, the eight-time overall World Cup winner, gave a comeback as a racer in autumn 2024 after a five-year break. He is currently driving for the Netherlands, his mother's home country. However, his return to racing was reported with challenges, such as Kleinezeitung.at. During his first appearance in October, he reached the 23rd place at the giant slalom in Sölden. In the following races, however, he had to put up with less successful results.

A serious setback occurred on December 2 when Hirscher pulled a cruciate ligament tear in the left knee in training on the Reiteralm. Since then he has reported "daily" progress in rehabilitation and was able to jog for the first time. He describes his situation as a puzzle that still needs some mosaic stones to be complete. The forecasts of his doctors and therapists indicate that he can drive turns again in September 2025.

The treatment of cruciate ligament injury

The discussion about the treatment of cruciate ligament injuries has increased in recent years. According to the Sportaertzeitung.com, there are current considerations whether a rupture of the front cruciate ligament can be dispensed with in competitive athletes. The scientific literature shows that there is no clear evidence for the advantage of an operational reconstruction compared to conservative treatment, provided there are no major accompanying injuries.

In about 75% of cruciate ligament ruptures, accompanying violations occur, often meniscus injuries, which makes the treatment more complicated. A high -quality rehabilitation is crucial for the success of therapy. Decision schemes help to choose the best therapy, whereby surgery is recommended, especially for symptomatic unstable patients with high activity claims.

return to sport

The way to return to competitive sports after a cruciate ligament injury is multidimensional. The process includes several phases that are classified by Sportaerzentzeitung.com as "Return to Activity", "Return to Play" and finally "Return to Competition". Over 30% of the injuries do not manage to practice their sport at the same level, and only about 50% of the athletes achieve a permanent return to the competition.

The risks for cruciate ligament rerupt and contralateral injuries are high, which illustrates the need for objective data to assess the knee compensation after a reconstruction. Innovative approaches such as the use of high-tech movement laboratories offer new possibilities for the analysis of movement patterns and to identify pathological movements.

The Olympic Games in February 2026 in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo currently have no priority for Hirscher. He sees Schladming and Kitzbühel as more important events for his return to the racing. While Hirscher continues to fight with his rehabilitation progress, it remains to be seen how quickly he will find the way back to the race track.