 Degenerative tears are most common in people from age 40 upward but can be found at any age, especially with obesity.Degenerative meniscal tears are thought to occur as part of the aging process when the collagen fibers within the meniscus start to break down and lend less support to the structure of the meniscus.Degenerative tears are usually horizontal, producing both an upper and a lower segment of the meniscus.