I may have to change jobs. Right now, I just hope I can get my life back,'' says Carlson, of Beaverton, Ore., who says he's being treated for tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome and other cumulative trauma disorders. He uses voice-recognition software to type. ''When people at work saw me wearing ice packs, I was surprised at how many others had had problems like this. They would tell me their stories. Ergonomic injuries are afflicting technology workers as young as 20 to 30 years old, many of whom have been using computers since childhood.
Some problems are severe enough to end careers that have barely begun.
It's a health issue getting more attention as the industry grows. Most people in the technology sector are young and think they're immune from problems. We see it on a daily basis. As concerns mount, high-tech firms such as Intel are joining in monthly ergonomic round tables to discuss the problem. Medical experts have taken to calling some repetitive-motion injuries ''Silicon Valley syndrome'' or ''programmer's elbow,'' and injured workers are forming support groups or creating their own software programs to reduce ergonomic ailments.