A common knee operation meant to erase the nagging pain of a torn meniscus has just failed its longest and toughest test. After a decade of tracking, researchers found that patients who went under the knife were no better off than those who only thought they had.

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. No one likes being sidelined by knee pain. And if your ache is from a torn meniscus, it can linger for weeks. Contrary to popular belief, meniscus tears aren’t exclusive to athletes.

Ten-year follow-up data from the FIDELITY sham knee arthroscopy study confirms the procedure offers no benefits and may be associated with worse outcomes.