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