race winning streak in the downhill. “It really opened
the door for Americans that we were speed skiers, not
just technical skiers,” says Nelson. “In and above the
victories, the win was crucial in taking a pioneering step
to breaking down the barrier that ski racing wasn’t just
owned by the Austrians and Swiss, there was the Americans, too.”
This monumental victory came after a devastating hip
injury in 1972, which also occurred, coincidently, at
Grindelwald, dashing Nelson’s hopes for Olympic success at the Winter Games in Sapporo, Japan. “They
treated injury much different then,” says Nelson. “I was
in a hospital for two weeks, on crutches for four months,
and there was no such thing as PT.”
In December 1973, Nelson met renowned orthopedic
surgeon Richard Steadman. “He put me back together
and I was better than ever,” says Nelson. “I credit him
with my victories and my career. He was the single-most
important influence on my career,” says Nelson. “And it
wasn’t just my skiing, but life. Being around him — he
taught me so much. He’s an incredible man with a very
interesting and magnificent mind and intellect.”
Nelson was Dr. Steadman’s first elite skier patient, and in her
14-year career, he performed nine knee surgeries and two ankle operations on her. “I got hurt, never missed a season and
was stronger than ever when I returned, which is a testament
to his medicine,” says Nelson.
Nelson says her injuries were crucial to her overall develop-
ment as a racer. “Injury has been very important for my career,”
she says. “Time away can be very beneficial to an athlete, tak-
ing you out of the grind. My time away let me know that this
was what I wanted to do and gave me a fresh perspective.”
Recovery periods also gave Nelson the opportunity to culti-
vate the intellectual side of being an athlete. “It’s important for
athletes as they grow to develop their spiritual and emotional
selves,” she says. “When you have those three pieces — the
physical, emotional and intellectual — working, then you have
a great competitor. If you get all those parts together and bring
those forth to competition, that’s how you win.”
Injury affected not only Nelson’s racing career but also her
work life beyond skiing. Five and a half years ago, Nelson
launched Here 2 Help, a care and concierge business special-
izing in orthopedics that assists patients visiting the Vail Valley
for medical care in planning their trip.
Here 2 Help’s patients range from professional athletes to everyday people who love an active lifestyle and want to continue to pursue their hobbies late into life. Nelson’s work with Dr.
Steadman continues. “People come from all over the world to
see Steadman and his team,” she says. “They’re the absolute
finest specialists in their field. We try to close the gaps in their
circle of care for patients. In terms of planning, we try to advise
patients on what to expect post-op, help them learn about accommodations, and ground transportation. We try to help them
with their post-operation care, even if they’re an outpatient.”
So that means Nelson and her business partner, Juli Young,
will do everything from advising on the best lodging for a patient’s specific needs and scheduling appointments to picking
up groceries and setting up rehab equipment at a patient’s
home or hotel.
In her practice, Nelson says she draws on her own experi-
Marie Therese Nadig, Cindy Nelson and Rosi Mittermayer
celebrate in Saalbach in 1974; right, Nelson in Bormio.
ence with injury. “Right now, I have had 15 surger-
ies,” she says. “So I understand a patient’s needs
pre- and post-surgery, and our staff is very experi-
enced and can help patients know what to expect.
So when they leave Vail, our job is to make sure
they have the best experience possible. Vail is a
very special center for orthopedic care.”
But getting back on snow is about more than just
physical wellness. “When you’re winning a race by
hundredths of seconds, it’s the power of your mind
that matters,” she says. “Our mind and heart are
two of our most powerful resources. They’ve got to
be working together.”
