Board Thread:Manga Discussion/@comment-26907384-20180107223443/@comment-27659575-20180108002143

That could be an interpretation. But you're cherry picking examples such as a panel from when Johnny had already practically regained the use of his legs to argue about his riding. And also the poses are outside of the narrative, they are side drawing that aren't part of the story proper so there's no internal logic to respect anyway. Besides in the one panel where Johnny falls after being shot, the hole does look very close to the spine.

From a narrative point of view, Johnny's paralysis being psychosomatic doesn't make sense. Araki is a straightforward author; the problems the heroes have need to be real to have any weight. Johnny fooling himself into being paralyzed wouldn't cut it; him being actually paralyzed as a consequence of his shittiness is definitely more in line with Araki's train of thought. Also your interpretation completely ignores the Saint's Corpse, a miraculous relic from Jesus who among other things did heal a paralytic man. Araki doesn't do medecine, he does dabble in religion and general philosophy/mysticism and art.

Likewise I prefer to see Johnny's psychological evolution as being tied to the recovery of his legs, but not in a truly medical sense. It's more like he goes better in every aspect of his life.