By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 6, 2025 · 7 min read Watch the Full Video If you have been diagnosed with a degenerative meniscus tear, you have likely heard conflicting advice about treatment. Some physicians recommend arthroscopic surgery to remove the damaged tissue, while others advocate for physical therapy and structured exercise. The disagreement often depends on whether you see an orthopedic surgeon or a nonoperative sports medicine specialist. So which app

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 6, 2025 · 5 min read Watch the Full Video There is considerable debate within the orthopedic community about the best treatment options for a meniscus tear. What is becoming increasingly clear is that cutting out the meniscus should be seen as a last resort. Newer techniques for meniscus repair surgery have shown lower failure rates, and with advances in orthobiologics and cellular therapy, many providers are exploring whether augme

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 6, 2026 · 6 min read Watch the Full Video If you are dealing with knee osteoarthritis and have been told that arthroscopic surgery might help, you may be wondering how it compares to platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections. Head-to-head trials comparing PRP to placebo, hyaluronic acid, and cortisone injections have consistently shown that PRP produces superior and more sustained symptom relief. But how does PRP stack up against surger

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 5, 2025 · 7 min read Watch the Full Video Meniscus tears are one of the most common knee injuries, and for patients with degenerative tears, the standard recommendation from many orthopedic surgeons remains arthroscopic partial meniscectomy. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that surgery should be seen as a last resort for degenerative meniscus tears, not a first-line treatment. In fact, a comprehensive non-surgical treatm

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 4, 2026 · 30 min read Watch the Full Video Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections have generated significant attention for their ability to treat joint pain, tendon injuries, and accelerate recovery using your body’s own healing mechanisms. But with growing interest comes a flood of questions: Does PRP actually work? How does it compare to cortisone or stem cells? Is the cost justified when insurance does not cover it? In this compreh

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 4, 2026 · 6 min read Watch the Full Video A Baker's cyst — also called a popliteal cyst — is a fluid-filled swelling that develops in the back of the knee. Named after the British surgeon Dr. William Baker, who first described the condition, it can range from a painless incidental finding on an MRI to a significant source of discomfort that limits everyday activities like bending, squatting, and walking. In my practice, Baker's cysts

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 4, 2026 · 6 min read Watch the Full Video Knee osteoarthritis is one of the most common conditions I treat in my sports medicine practice . It is characterized by the progressive deterioration and loss of cartilage inside the knee joint. While many patients assume that arthritis means the end of an active lifestyle, understanding the warning signs early can help you take the right steps to manage symptoms and preserve joint function.

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 5, 2026 · 8 min read Watch the Full Video Knee pain is not random. Where you feel the pain can serve as a powerful diagnostic clue to the underlying problem. By understanding the source of your symptoms, you can take the appropriate first steps toward recovery. As a board-certified sports medicine physician , I evaluate knee pain every day in my clinic. In this guide, I walk through 15 of the most common causes of knee pain, organize

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 4, 2025 · 20 min read Watch the Full Video What Is Knee Osteoarthritis and Why Is It So Complex? Knee osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and is defined by the progressive loss of cartilage within the joint. Despite its prevalence, most patients have a limited understanding of the condition and the full range of treatment options available. In my practice, I frequently encounter patients who have received incomplete o

By Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD · Published March 4, 2026 · 12 min read Watch the Full Video Meniscus tears are among the most common knee injuries, affecting athletes and older adults alike. They can cause significant pain and disability in some people, yet in others they produce no symptoms at all. This disconnect is one of the main reasons there is so much confusion surrounding meniscus tear treatment — patients often receive conflicting advice from different providers. In this a

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

Medically reviewed by Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD — Board-Certified Sports Medicine Physician Published: March 1, 2026 | Last Updated: March 1, 2026 Knee pain is one of the most common complaints I see in my sports medicine practice. While occasional soreness after exercise is usually nothing to worry about, there are certain warning signs that should prompt you to seek evaluation sooner rather than later. After treating thousands of patients with knee pain, I've identified three c

The meniscus has notoriously poor blood supply, and most tears — especially degenerative ones — never fully heal on their own. For years, patients with persistent meniscus tears have been told that surgery is the only viable option. But what if we could change the biology inside the knee to make healing possible? As a sports medicine physician in the San Francisco Bay Area, I regularly treat patients who come in for a second opinion after being told they need surgery for a me

There is significant controversy and debate within the medical community about the most effective treatment approaches for meniscus...

There is considerable debate within the orthopedic community about what the best treatment options are for a meniscus tear. What’s becoming clear is that cutting out the meniscus should really be seen as a last resort. But what about repairing the meniscus? Newer and better techniques for meniscus repair surgery have been shown to have lower failure rates. And with advances in orthobiologics and cellular therapy, many providers are excited about augmenting these repairs with

Meniscus injuries of the knee are extremely common. Do you need surgery? Here’s the data.