According to this MeFi thread, the similarities may not be coincidental. From Wikipedia:
House is victim to an infarction in his right leg, which was misdiagnosed by his doctors and resulted in muscle deterioration prior to the events of the series. House is in near-constant pain and walks with a severe limp, carrying a trademark cane in the series. He develops an addiction to Vicodin through the course of the series. His colleagues frequently suggest that his physical pain affects his medical judgment and exacerbates his irritable personality.
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