It doesn’t matter if you enjoy your local community sports activities or if you’re a serious weekend warrior; you need all your senses to stay safe and be competitive. This includes healthy hearing.

We’ve had many questions from local people who want to ensure their hearing is optimized so they can best enjoy the activities they love.

Many believe they need specialized hearing aids for sports, but in reality, today’s advanced hearing technology has the capabilities to be adjusted to your unique listening needs, including sporting activities.

Suppose you’re an existing hearing aid wearer concerned that your current devices are unsuitable for sport. In that case, I can assure you that with a few minor adjustments by a professional audiologist, your hearing aids will be optimal for that next big game.

Sports can often be noisy, but that noise is part of successfully navigating the activity.

A bouncing ball, a teammate’s call, or the referee’s whistle are just a few sounds that may signal important information during a sporting activity.

Water sports may be one of the few exceptions, as most hearing aids are water-resistant but not water-proof. Therefore, anytime your hearing aids may be submerged or immersed in water, they should be removed.

Your Hearing Aid Is Part of Your Sports Equipment

You will likely change into special shoes and clothing before you play sports. Then, you’ll pick up whatever gear is needed for the game.

Consider your hearing aids as another piece of equipment you will need to successfully navigate the floor, the field, the court, or the track.

More importantly, your sense of hearing is directly related to your ability to orient yourself within your environment. And, hearing loss can sometimes affect your ability to stay balanced.

From cycling to golf to tennis or volleyball, hearing well is key to improved performance.

There is no need to be at a disadvantage when playing recreational or professional sports. However, wearing your hearing aids can equalize the playing field.

Keeping Your Hearing Aids Safe While Playing Sports

There are two issues you want to deal with to keep your hearing aids safe while playing sports. The first is heavy sweating or, during outdoor sports, the chance of being caught in a downpour.

Consider speaking to your audiologist about protective fabric products that can wick sweat and moisture away from your device when sweating.

Also, a good old-fashioned headband or sweatband can be used to absorb sweat before it reaches your hearing aid’s battery or internal wiring.

This option can also perform double-duty by holding your hearing aid in place. But, since your hearing aids are water-resistant, it is unlikely that sweat would cause damage.

Our second concern is how to prevent your devices from falling out and becoming lost or damaged. Again, this is a risk that can also be managed, even if you play contact sports like touch football, soccer, or basketball.

Make sure your hearing aid specialist is aware of your sports activities, so they can suggest the best ear mold fit possible.

Also, consider wearing a hearing aid clip that features a lanyard to prevent you from losing your devices. These devices secure to your hearing aid and your clothing for loss prevention.

Make sure it is of solid quality and lightweight but flexible material like silicon. This way, you get worry-free protection while still being able to enjoy your sporting activities.

Ready To Get Started?

If you or a loved one is starting your journey to better hearing and is ready to discover a tailored hearing solution for you, please schedule an assessment as your best first step.

If your current hearing aids need adjusting to your new listening needs, please get in touch with our experts to schedule an appointment so that we can help optimize your devices and get you back to enjoying the life you love.

Exercising and wearing your hearing devices are an investment in your health and quality of life. We want to help you preserve both, so call us today!

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Hang Lam, AuD.

Dr. Hang Lam graduated with an AuD from UC San Diego/San Diego State University's joint audiology program in 2014. She completed her audiology internship and remained on staff following graduation. She is experienced with working with all age groups and populations. Dr. Lam is a member of the Academy of Doctors of Audiology and the American Academy of Audiology. Hang speaks Vietnamese and enjoys hiking, camping, backpacking, snowboarding, archery, disc golf, cooking, acoustic guitar, arts and craft projects, jewelry making, painting, flower pressing, and cross-stitching.