What fictional medical condition does House have in House M.D.?

In House M.D., Gregory House has chronic leg pain caused by an infarction in his quadriceps muscle.

The infarction damaged muscle tissue in House’s right leg. He initially underwent a bypass procedure, but the tissue damage and resulting pain became permanent. House walks with a cane and relies on prescription medication, especially Vicodin, to manage the pain.

The condition is central to the character rather than a minor background detail. His limp affects how colleagues and patients perceive him, while his addiction creates medical, legal, and professional problems across the series. The pain also becomes part of the show’s exploration of disability, self-medication, and the limits of diagnostic brilliance.

The infarction is sometimes inaccurately described as a broken leg or a spinal injury. House does have a chronic physical disability, but the series specifically attributes it to muscle infarction. His medical history is revealed gradually through flashbacks and conversations, rather than in the opening episode as a complete explanation.