Knuckle pain = TMS?

F

Freedom

Peer Supporter
I tried doing some searches but found more posts about wrist pain for carpal tunnel. Is Knuckle pain also TMS? I've been at the computer all day working on semester projects for software programming classes and the knuckles in my left hand are hurting quite a bit, especially if I go to try to crack them, or when I have to reach far off keys with one hand (index finger, pointer finger). I haven't felt this before and my brain is trying to reason "maybe your typing more than usual and thats why."

It's inopportune as I have deadlines and the pain makes me want to take a long break for the remainder of the day but that is not conducive to getting a good grade in these classes. Why cant the tms wait till after deadlines lol >:/??

Im going to get back into journaling in a couple weeks but right now im just too busy with end of semester.
 
You're tensing up under pressure and on the computer all day, probably with no breaks to relax and play. Normal deadline tension under pressure I'd say. My oldest just finished Comp Sci and I was a software manager 15 years and we both would have typical computer geek overuse sore spots. Think of how your arm muscles would feel if you spent the day lifting things without a break.
Having said that, you can get tms anywhere, but you indicated your knuckles are only sore today.
 
But would this be any difference than working a job as software engineer. I would still be typing all day.
 
Freedom said:
But would this be any difference than working a job as software engineer. I would still be typing all day.
Click to expand...
Yes and No.
Yes you would be on the keyboard much of the day as I was in my job. I did product testing and oversaw software dev't and bug fixes, so was on the computer about as much as the programmers. You're under pressure for end of semester deadlines right now and sometimes as a software engineer you will be under a lot of pressure for deadlines, but instead of marks, you'll have a project manager like me cracking the whip, lol. Everyone naturally tenses up under pressure. Rare is the person who doesn't.
No because life as a software engineer isn't one big constant deadline. If you get into a job that is, then either you are someone who thrives on this or you change jobs.

The amount of tensing up you do under pressure and the length of time you hold that tension is the difference between it being tms or not. If you love computers and programming then you will probably love your job at the right company. I worked in ad agencies in media for 10 years and then 15 at a software company for ad agencies. Both jobs were a lot of pressure during deadlines, but I loved both jobs. (The ad agencies were still a lot like Mad Men when I worked there.) I didn't develop tms until I was no longer working and didn't know what to do.

Try to take breaks to relax and when all your projects are submitted, have fun. Hey - maybe something fun and silly like Pokemon Go will be released this summer too.
 
Only ice it if you banged it on something and it's swollen. Sounds like it's time to treat it as tms.
 
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