Q: My 22-year-old daughter has knock-knees. Due to which she has severe pain. Is it necessary for her to have corrective surgery? What will happen if she does not undergo surgery? Is there any age limit for corrective surgery? How much time will it take to recover completely after surgery? Is the surgery performed on one knee at a time?

A:Knock knees in your daughter, I presume, are causing the pain. Hence, surgery is indicated as early as possible. The idea of a corrective surgery in her would be to restore the mechanical axis to the centre of the knee (which in knock-knees are shifted to the outer side). This would reduce the chances of an early secondary osteoarthritis of the knee. Proper pre-operative clinical and radiological assessments are imperative.