Knee Pain? Ragged Cartilage? Research Suggests Surgery’s Not the Best Answer

A 10-year study found arthroscopic knee surgery for degenerative cartilage tears provides little benefit and may accelerate osteoarthritis and reoperation rates. Patients who received the procedure or a sham surgery showed similar outcomes, with surgery patients experiencing more pain. The study challenges the efficacy of the surgery, which is declining in use in Finland and the U.S.