Gyms Plus iPods are Bad for the Ears
The level you crank your iPod up to when working out in a noisy gym may be enough to damage your hearing, according to a study by University of Alberta researcher Bill Hodgetts. They studied the volumes selected by people in a gym while exercising vs. a quiet area and found the volume levels could lead to hearing damage, depending on how long the person listened. I have noticed the difference in volume I choose between walking on a quiet greenway vs. alongside a noisy street. Hodgetts found that half of his study participants listened long enough during exercise to put them at risk of hearing damage. This is scary stuff. I kind of like all five of my senses and don’t look forward to losing any of them.
Source: William Hodgetts; Ryan Szarko; Jana Rieger. “What is the influence of background noise and exercise on the listening levels of iPod users?”International Journal of Audiology, Volume 48, Issue 12 December 2009 , pages 825 - 832
Gyms Plus iPods are Bad for the Ears originally appeared on About.com Walking on Friday, January 22nd, 2010 at 10:21:07.
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