Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 2, 2026 | Last Updated: March 2, 2026 If you have ever been told that an MRI holds the key to understanding your joint pain, you may be surprised to learn that it might not be telling you the full story. In my practice, I frequently see patients who come in with MRI reports showing tears, arthritis, or degenerative changes — fully expecting these findings to explain their pain. But i