Gregory House commonly uses a cane in House M.D.
House walks with a limp and relies on a cane because of permanent damage to the muscles of his right thigh. The injury resulted from an infarction, or loss of blood supply, in the quadriceps muscle. His chronic pain is a major part of his characterization and contributes to his dependence on prescription pain medication.
The cane is more than a prop. House frequently uses it while moving through the hospital, and its design and handling reinforce his physical limitations and independent personality. His limp also becomes one of the visual details that immediately identifies him.
The show connects House's physical condition to his medical expertise: he understands the physiology of pain while experiencing severe chronic pain himself. The character's cane should not be confused with a walker or crutches; the standard aid associated with him is a single cane.