House uses a cane because of his leg injury in House M.D. The cane is one of Gregory House’s most recognizable visual traits and reflects the chronic pain and impaired mobility caused by damage to his right thigh muscle.
Before the series begins, House suffers an infarction in his quadriceps muscle after a blood clot blocks circulation. The tissue dies, and surgeons remove part of the muscle. The injury leaves him with a permanent limp and severe pain, which contributes to his dependence on Vicodin.
House’s cane is not merely a prop. He uses it while walking through the hospital, and the show sometimes turns it into part of his physical comedy or confrontational style. The cane also visually distinguishes him from the other doctors and reinforces the connection between his physical limitations and emotional defensiveness.
A crutch or wheelchair would not accurately describe his regular mobility aid. House can walk independently, although with a pronounced limp, and he does not have a prosthetic leg.