Elbow problems...advice sought

[Double-edged]

While I don't have a whole lot of ground-fighting skill and haven't actively trained in grappling in a long time, I DID do some grappling training in the early 90's for "no holds barred" cage matches that predated the UFC and had the good fortune to have a Gracie student as my instructor at that time. Good times but during training I had an arm bar performed on me that went a little too far and popped my elbow but good. Intense pain and such and difficulty using the elbow for a long time. Never went to a doctor about it, unfortunately, but it eventually healed to the point that I had pretty much normal use out of it.

Over the years, however, it has acted up again and again to one degree or another. Recently, between making attempts to practice pikal-style jabs and in toying with recreation of European martial arts, I've subjected the elbow to a lot of stress and I currently have pain almost to the degree that I remember having it when it was first injured.

Anyone have any ideas? Is this something that physical therapy could handle or is this most likely a surgical matter along with physical therapy? I hate the thought of getting cut on (just had a partial nephrectomy to remove a renal carcinoma) but, if it will give me back full use then that is what is needed. I doubt that my regular family doctor would be of much use but there are enough MMA guys training here in Houston that someone is bound to know a sports medicine guy who will have experience with this sort of injury.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Bjjexpertise@be]

My judo instructor always said that the injuries you thought you recovered from when you were younger always resurface as you get older :-\. I'd say getting an xray from a doctor would beat the advice of a bunch of random strangers on the internet.

Best of luck.

[treelizard]

Or a trip to an osteopath.

[jubaji]

Sorry to say it, but I think you are screwed. Old injuries are there for the duration. You should have gotten it fixed when you had the chance. Now you are probably looking at mitigating the pain at best. But that's ok, that's life; aches and pains come with the territory and become more common with age.