The day before the World Championship sprint in Trondheim in February, Linn Svahn fell during training within the stadium area. She got a concussion and shook her neck. The days after, she had a headache, felt her neck and had to stay in a dark room.
Ola Rawald tells that the concussion is healed but that she still has problems with her neck:
In connection with the fall, she got a disc injury in her neck. She still has troubles, on and off, with nerve damage in her neck.
Only cycling
This summer, Linn Svahn has not been able to train running or cross-country skiing outdoors. Only indoor cross-country skiing on a treadmill. Most of the training has consisted of cycling.
Pole climbing and tough pole passes have been the challenge, since it affects her neck too much when she pushes the poles. Even running has affected her neck. But she has still found other solutions this summer, says Rawald.
He tells that lately, her neck has become so much better that she has been able to start cross-country skiing outdoors, as well as running. But the maximum tempo on the cross-country skis will have to wait.
She now has the training plan we want, which basically contains everything except pole climbing and full speed. She cross-country skis but we have to limit it a bit, says Ola Rawald.
Next week, Linn Svahn will participate in the national team's camp in Torsby, which includes training in the ski tunnel.
She will go there and will be on snow. It's kinder compared to asphalt. She will then try to work a bit more with her upper body on the snow. When she gets home, we will make a new evaluation if it goes well or if there's a setback. Then we will work from there.
Medical prognosis
Ola Rawald tells that the doctors have set a prognosis that means that at the turn of the month August-September, her neck should be so good that Linn Svahn can do most things.
The prognosis matches well with what she feels today.
TT: How does the injury affect the competitions in the winter?
It's a long time until the World Cup and the Olympic Games. If she just gets going with her upper body, it feels calm. If she hadn't been more active now, and there had been more setbacks, I would have been more questioning.
Linn Svahn's career has been marked by injuries. In February 2021, she injured her shoulder in connection with a World Cup competition in Ulricehamn. Two years later, after a ruined World Championship and missed Olympic Games, as well as two operations, she made a comeback.
Lives in: Östersund.
Age: 25
Club: Östersunds SK
Main merits: World Cup: 13 wins (individual and relay). No championship medals.
