Lindsey Vonn turned to Twitter and Facebook to give fans reassuring news about the state of her troublesome shin on Thursday, in a further sign that these Games are turning into the social network Olympics.

Vonn had made the shock announcement of her excruciating injury via the old media means of a U.S. television network and an official International Olympic Committee news conference.

It looked for a while as if the American Alpine skier might have given up on her fans out in the digital world after her earlier confusion over what she would be allowed to write had led to a brief break from all things digital before the Games.

But reassured by the IOC, one of the most recognizable faces of the Games soon returned and on Thursday she made full use of the ability to connect directly with her legions of fans online.

She first turned to Twitter, revealing she had taken painkillers before a training run that was eventually canceled, and in the afternoon she gave her full status update on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/LindseyVonnUSA).

I was really happy to be back on snow today even if it was for only 1 freeski run, she wrote.

My shin was still very painful, but I feel like the injury is finally progressing a bit. The pain level has gone down from a sharp debilitating pain to something that I feel I may be able to grit my teeth through. So that really puts a smile on my face!:)

Vonn is far from alone in her digital devotion.

Twitter has produced a long list of Olympians Tweeting from the Games, and verified as being genuine (http://twitter.com/verified/olympians) and the IOC's Facebook page attracted its one millionth Games fan this week.

(Editing by Miles Evans)

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