Which muscle was damaged in Dr. House’s leg, causing his chronic limp in House M.D.?

Dr. House’s chronic limp in House M.D. resulted from damage to his right quadriceps muscle.

House suffered an infarction in the quadriceps muscle of his right leg. The muscle injury caused permanent damage and left him with chronic pain and an altered gait, which he managed with a cane and pain medication.

The show reveals that House initially received treatment that did not adequately address the problem. He later underwent surgery to remove dead muscle tissue, but the procedure left lasting impairment. His leg is therefore not merely a visual character detail; it is central to his medical history and addiction storyline.

Viewers sometimes remember the injury generally as a damaged leg or knee, but the specific muscle identified in the series is the right quadriceps. That precise anatomical detail distinguishes the canon explanation from broader summaries of House’s disability.