Ask yourself... do you really need surgery for shoulder pain?

Keyhole surgery for shoulder impingement is widely performed and costly — but long-term trials suggest it may not offer any real benefit.

It’s one of the most commonly performed operations for shoulder pain.

In England alone, nearly 30,000 of these procedures are carried out every year. Since 2007/08, it has cost the National Health Service more than £1 billion.

The operation is called arthroscopic subacromial decompression, or ASD.

It’s keyhole surgery on the shoulder.

Surgeons go in and clear out tissue or shave bone to create more space — aiming to relieve pressure and ease pain.

It’s widely used and patients are told it will help.

But one of the most rigorous trials ever conducted on this procedure should make people think twice.