Originally Posted by
rex615
The doctor never actually said that cycling had caused his problem, he said it was arthritis.
Also the spin portrayed in the show was that Tom didn't want to get the surgery because it meant not being able to ride for the several month required for the recovery from the surgery.
Reality TV is still just entertainment. Unfortunately I admit I find it entertaining.
In a follow up Tom said some of the pain issues had been mediated by physical therapy but it is known that anyone who rides as much as he does will experience issues with walking as the muscles used for walking and cycling are different.
The man who set the record for most miles in a year (75,000 miles) had great issues after spending 365 days in the saddle and had to learn how to walk after this feat was accomplished.
I agree that the arthritis may have been independent of the cycling and this did not seem to be causing him as many issues as most which is probably due to the time he was in the saddle as it is is not the same level of load bearing exercise as walking, running, or lifting.
I suffer from issues that stem from axial loading issues because of a lower back injury and can ride forever as it is a nearly pain free exercise but walking is very difficult... but I also do this to make sure that my strength is as balanced as it can be.