In House M.D., which muscle was damaged in the infarction that caused House’s limp?

In House M.D., the infarction that caused House’s limp damaged his right quadriceps muscle. The injury is central to his physical appearance, chronic pain, and dependence on a cane and pain medication.

House suffered the infarction before the series begins. A blood clot blocked circulation to the quadriceps, leaving the muscle severely damaged. Doctors amputated dead tissue, but the treatment caused lasting disability and pain. House later explains that he chose a risky procedure that preserved his leg but left him with permanent impairment.

The injury is more than a medical detail: it shapes House’s behavior and relationships throughout the series. His limp is sometimes mistakenly attributed to a problem in the knee, hip, or lower leg. In the show’s established backstory, however, the damaged structure is specifically the right quadriceps muscle, located in the front of the thigh.