This is a retrospective review of 40 patients who underwent arthroscopic labral debridement of the shoulder. All patients were active participants in sports involving use of the shoulder. All patients presented with shoulder pain. Only 40% were found to have distinct glenohumeral instability on examination. At surgery, all patients had labral injury. Ten patients had anterosuperior labral tears, 20 had anteroinferior labral tears or detachments, and 10 had posteroinferior labral tears or detachments. Outcome was assessed at a minimum of 2 years (average, 43 months) postoperatively. Overall, only 7% of the patients had significant symptomatic relief at followup. However, 72% noted relief of symptoms during the 1st year after surgery, but there was deterioration over time. CONCLUSIONS Arthroscopic labral debridement is not an effective long-term solution for symptomatic relief in the overhead athlete.