Niall Horan of One Direction has battled knee issues for a while. With 1D embarking on a global stadium tour in 2014, the blond cutie and the 1D team aren't taking any chances. Horan is reportedly headed to the U.S. to have surgery on his troubled knee this week.

Horan dislocated his knee as a young lad and he has been dealing with related knee pain and issues ever since. You'd never know, since he always has a smile on his handsome face while on stage and performing, even as he is exerting himself and putting pressure on the joint.

A source said, "Niall has battled this problem since he was a child. His knee dislocates and it is very uncomfortable." Sounds like it!

The insider continued, "He’s had physio sessions for years but the pain persists so surgery is the best solution to have him fully fit and ready for the demands of a long tour."

That's a smart business strategy, since Horan does not have the luxury of time to be sidelined by injury. Also, 1D have such a rigorous scheduled planned, one that leaves little wiggle room to treat or even deal with a nagging injury. It's best to have it taken care of in advance of the booked tour that is rumored to earn some serious profits.

Horan will be holed up on a U.S. clinic for 10 days, inclusive of the actual procedure and the recovery process. PopCrush wishes him a full, speedy recovery.

In other Niall news, the singer's face will be featured on The Gar, which is the tourism currency of his hometown of Mullingar, Ireland in 2014. Niall's bank, literally.

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