Physiotherapists and Repetitive Strain Injury sufferers have warned fans of the website to moderate their time on it – or risk it ruining their health.
The calls come just a few weeks after it was announced that the internet phenomenon had now attracted nearly 1.8 million users.
But RSI experts claim Twitterers needed to know about the potential for future health problems and have urged site bosses to put a warning on screen.
The nature of Twitter means users are encouraged to update their activities more frequently than other sites, like Facebook or MySpace.
And it is thought that the fact Twitter can be fed to from various platforms, like mobile phones, means users could find themselves spending more time on than they might expect.
. . .
Stephen Fisher, Chairman of Trustees of RSI Action, said sufferers of the illness were becoming younger all the time.
He said he anticipated there would soon be an explosion of people coming down with the condition.
He said: “We would be very concerned any extended computer use especially by youngsters because that would cause problems.
“There are two real messages here, if you are going to use it a lot take plenty of rests in between and if you get early symptoms do go and get help as soon as possible.
“I have heard of six or seven-year-old sufferers of RSI.
“The youngsters have got their hand-held gaming machines, phone texting, all of these things can cause major problems.
“I think we are steadily heading towards a bit of an abyss in terms of sufferers of the condition.
“We find that computer use tends to be thought of the cause of major problems and misuse is a significant part of that.”
I think Twitter is a minuscule part of the picture for me, but this article is a good reminder that I do need to watch my typing habits – and duration. I’m not good at breaks.
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