Written by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 1, 2025 | Last Updated: March 1, 2025 If you've been told you have a meniscus tear, your first thought might be that surgery is inevitable. It's one of the most common concerns I hear from patients in my sports medicine practice. But here's what many people don't realize: the majority of meniscus tears—particularly degenerative tears that develop over time—do not require surgery. Mul