In House M.D., what injury causes Dr. House to walk with a cane?

A quadriceps muscle infarction causes Dr. House to walk with a cane in House M.D.

The infarction damaged muscle in House’s right thigh after a vascular problem cut off blood supply. He eventually underwent surgery, but the injury left him with chronic pain and a limp. The cane became one of his most recognizable visual traits.

House’s pain and dependence on prescription medication are major parts of his characterization. The physical injury is not merely background: it influences his decisions, relationships, irritability, and conflicts with colleagues and patients.

The condition is often misremembered as a broken leg or ordinary muscle strain. In the show’s backstory, the key event is ischemic damage to the quadriceps, followed by treatment that saved his leg but could not restore it completely. The medical term is therefore much more specific than “leg injury.”