In House M.D., which body part causes Gregory House’s chronic limp?

In House M.D., Gregory House’s chronic limp is caused by damage to his right leg.

Before the series begins, House suffers an infarction in the quadriceps muscle of his right leg. The tissue damage leaves him with permanent pain and impaired movement, so he relies on a cane and often takes medication to control the pain.

House’s disability is not merely a visual detail. It affects his mobility, contributes to his dependence on Vicodin, and becomes part of how colleagues and patients perceive him. The series repeatedly connects his physical pain with questions about addiction, judgment, and self-control.

A frequent mistake is reversing the side of the injury or describing it as a simple bone fracture. The backstory centers on muscle infarction and subsequent surgery, not a routine broken leg. House’s limp is therefore a lasting consequence of vascular and muscle damage.