In House, M.D., what is the name of House’s leg muscle injury?

House’s leg injury is a quadriceps infarction in House, M.D. A blood clot cuts off circulation to muscle in his right thigh, causing tissue death and leaving him with chronic pain and a limp.

The injury occurred before the main events of the series. House initially misinterprets the problem and delays treatment, while his former partner Stacy Warner authorizes a risky procedure that saves his life but leaves permanent damage. Their history becomes an important part of the show’s early mythology.

A muscle infarction is different from a bone fracture or a simple muscle strain. In House’s case, the damage affects the quadriceps, the large muscle group at the front of the thigh. The result explains his cane use, his pain, and his dependence on Vicodin.

The condition is sometimes described loosely as a leg infarction, but “quadriceps infarction” is the specific term used for House’s injury. This backstory is central to understanding the character’s physical limitations and emotional bitterness.