Playing Sports while wearing Hearing Aids

Do you need advice about hearing aids while playing sports or exercising?

Are you wearing your hearing aids while exercising or competing in sports and are worried about damaging the batteries or the hearing aid itself?

Many people would agree that maintaining a healthier lifestyle is important in ensuring a better quality of life. Having a health-first attitude often includes some type of physical exercise. eg. Archery! However within archery, which is a very social activity, there are certain factors like being able to hear when people shout "Clear!" and "Live!" which are useful for your safety. So there is certainly a safety benefit. Even golfers typically shout "Fore!" when hitting a long drive and to warn people to watch out for incoming golf balls.

Safety aside, having an active lifestyle can also mean engaging in organized team sports, while others may prefer activities at a singular or small-group level such as hiking, dog walking, competitive dog walking, jogging, bike riding, or even bird watching (a lot of walking and hiking involved in bird watching).

And with respect to bird watching, which isn't really sporty but does require exercise, you probably also want to be able to hear the birds you are looking for.

Yet for individuals who wear hearing aids, there may be some hesitation to take part in fitness programs and/or various sports due to concerns about potential damage to these rather important and often expensive devices. Let’s face it; they need their hearing aids for many other facets of their lives, and they likely want to safeguard their financial investment as well. (Although if you live in Ontario/Canada, most of the cost is covered by OHIP.)

Regardless of the sports activity, or the age of the person for that matter, they should be able to enjoy themselves without having to worry about their hearing aids. And now, for the most part, they can; provided that they take a few precautionary steps with their hearing aids before, during, and after their exercise routines or games.

Hearing impairment does not have to be a hurdle to pursuing an active lifestyle. (I really wanted to put a hurdles gif on the right side here, but was unable to find one that I liked.) By maintaining and managing their hearing aids effectively, people with hearing loss can take part in and enjoy any number of sports and/or other types of physical activities.

To assist in learning more about these types of situations, the hearing loss specialists at Omni Hearing in Woodbridge offer the following advice and tips for hearing aid wearers who want to exercise or take part in sports:

Caring for Hearing Aids When Exercising and Playing Sports

1. After a day of exercising/sports, place hearing aids in a dehumidifier box overnight to get rid of extra moisture.
2. Upon removal from the dehumidifier, brush hearing aids to clean excess wax/dirt you may have accumulated.
3. Wear a regular headband or hat to prevent excess sweat from saturating the hearing aids with moisture.
4. For behind-the-ear hearing aids, cover them with a sweat-resistant pouch or sleeve.
5. At times during an activity, use a portable puffer to blow air through molding/tubing.
6. Wear properly-sized headgear (helmets, toques, caps) to accommodate your hearing aids.
7. For contact sports, use a specially-designed clip that secures hearing aids to clothing to prevent it from getting knocked off and damaged.
8. If you are exercising regularly apply an antimicrobial agent every few days to ward off bacteria, microbes, and prevent infection. Last thing you need is an inner ear infection.
9. Keep extra tubing on hand at all times in the event of damage or dirt/sweat blockage.
10. Identify a local hearing centre in case of emergency when traveling / exercising overseas.
11. Select the proper type of hearing aids and ensure the right fit for the activities/sports.
12. If possible, get water-resistant hearing aids. There are various kinds of water proof hearing aids that are ideal for swimming, snorkeling and similar activities.
13. There are also accessories you can get to help make your regular hearing aids more water resistant / protected.
14. Ask a Professional about Managing Hearing Aids in Relation to Playing Sports (see below).

Ask a Professional about Managing Hearing Aids in Relation to Playing Sports

Individuals with hearing loss who may have questions or concerns about wearing hearing aids while participating in various exercise regimens, physical activities, and/or contact sports would find it beneficial to consult with a hearing specialist from the Omni Hearing, one of the leading clinics in the GTA and ready to help people to achieve their goals (sports and otherwise).

In the same way that having the proper clothing/equipment and stretching the muscles before a recreational or sporting activity can enhance the experience, a visit to a hearing centre such as Omni Hearing in Woodbridge can help to better prepare those who need or want to wear their hearing aids under these types of circumstances. During this visit and consultation, hearing aid users can discuss and/or address matters related to:

• Having extra batteries on hand, should you need them.
• Other contents of the sports bag / accessories.
• The condition of their hearing aids.
• The correct fit of their hearing aids.
• Accessories specifically for use in sports.
• Water proof or water resistant hearing aids.
• Back-up plans for any unforeseen situations.

For additional information on the hearing services offered by the hearing aids specialists from Omni Hearing in Woodbridge by calling 905-605-4593 or visiting their store at 8611 Weston Rd Unit 17, Woodbridge.