In House M.D., Gregory House walks with a cane because of permanent damage to his right leg.
House suffered an infarction in the quadriceps muscle of his right thigh, leading to tissue death and chronic pain. Doctors eventually amputated part of the affected muscle, and House was left with a limp and a dependence on pain medication.
The cane is one of the character’s most recognizable visual details. It also reflects the show’s recurring connection between House’s physical condition, his addiction, and his unusual approach to medical problems.
The injury is often described generally as a leg injury, but the specific side is the right leg. Hugh Laurie used the cane and limp consistently as part of the character’s performance throughout the series.