In House M.D., what caused Gregory House’s permanent leg muscle damage?

Gregory House’s permanent leg muscle damage was caused by a quadriceps infarction. A blood clot blocked circulation to part of his right quadriceps muscle, causing tissue death and lasting impairment.

House discusses the injury repeatedly throughout the series. He experienced the infarction while playing golf, but the damage was initially misdiagnosed. By the time the correct problem was understood, much of the muscle had died and could not simply be restored.

House ultimately underwent a risky procedure in which dead muscle tissue was removed. The treatment saved his life but left him with chronic pain, a limp, and a dependence on a cane. His physical disability is an important part of the character rather than merely a visual trait.

The injury is often loosely described as a leg infarction or mistaken for a conventional sports injury. The more precise answer is a quadriceps infarction, involving muscle tissue rather than a heart attack. The show connects the pain, House’s medication use, and many of his personality conflicts to this medical history.