Advice is mounting to warn Australians against arthroscopic knee surgery, especially for patients with osteoarthritis who are aged over 50.

President of the Australian Rheumatology Association Professor Rachelle Buchbinder said it could be doing more harm than good.

“We are talking to GPs and importantly to patients to say don’t ask for a referral for one of these,” she told 3AW Breakfast.

“There is some evidence that arthroscopes and changing the structure inside the knee may actually aggravate the problem and might lead to earlier need for joint replacement.”

Click PLAY above to hear the full interview on 3AW Breakfast