What medical event caused Gregory House’s permanent leg pain and limp in House M.D.?

A quadriceps muscle infarction caused Gregory House’s permanent leg pain and limp in House M.D.

Before the series begins, House suffers an infarction in the quadriceps muscle of his right thigh. The muscle tissue dies after its blood supply is blocked, producing severe damage and long-term pain. House eventually has dead tissue removed, leaving him with a limp and a need for a cane.

The show reveals the history gradually rather than presenting it all in the pilot. House initially allowed doctors to treat the problem incorrectly, and the resulting damage became permanent. His pain is central to his character and is also tied to his use of Vicodin.

This injury is often simplified as a leg injury, a blood clot, or a fracture, but those descriptions are not the specific diagnosis given in the series. The affected muscle is the quadriceps, located in the front of the thigh, and the infarction is the event that explains House’s chronic disability.