Falls and Hearing

Approximately 30% of people aged 65 and older fall each year. This can lead to serious injuries (such as hip fractures) and a loss of autonomy.

While falls are accidental by definition, they can be avoided. There are many ways to prevent yourself from losing your balance, including correcting your vision, modifying your environment (for example, using ramps) and keeping active. There’s another factor worth mentioning, too: hearing.

Studies have shown that hearing-impaired people fall more often than peers of the same age who have “normal” hearing. This is partly because hearing-impaired people have access to fewer sounds that help orient them in their environments. It is well known that maintaining balance is easier with visual landmarks. However, auditory landmarks can be useful. In one study, people had their eyes covered, then their posture was evaluated with and without an auditory landmark. Overall performance was better with an auditory landmark. Another study compared balance in senior twins and found that the twin with better hearing had more stable posture.

Hearing can affect balance in other ways, too. Untreated deafness can sometimes lead people to avoid social activities and become less active. Physical fitness is related to balance; people in better shape are less likely to lose their balance and fall.

Surprisingly, balance also requires focus. We all have a limited capacity for focus. For example, our posture is less stable when performing even simple tasks like buttoning a shirt or thinking about a birthday. Hearing-impaired people need to use much more focus to understand speech. As a result, they have less focus to dedicate to posture and balance.

Groups of researchers are currently trying to determine whether hearing aids improve balance. Participants in one study were found to have more stable posture when their hearing aids were on. Results suggest that people with hearing loss could improve their balance by correcting their hearing, since they would be able to benefit from their auditory environment.

That said, more research on the subject is needed. Nevertheless, it appears that falls can be avoided with periodic hearing tests and regular use of hearing aids.

To learn more about falls and hearing, consult an audiologist.

References: GAGNON, C. and LAFRANCE, M. “Prévention des chutes auprès des personnes âgées vivant à domicile”. INSPQ, 2011. LIN, F. R. and FERRUCCI, L. “Hearing Loss and Falls Among Older Adults in the United States”. Arch Intern Med, 172(4), 369-371, 2012. EASTON, R. D. et al. “Auditory Cues for Orientation and Postural Control in Sighted and Congenitally Blind People”. Experimental Brain Research, vol. 118, 541-550, 1998. VIJANEN, A. et al. “Hearing as a Predictor of Falls and Postural Balance in Older Female Twins”. Journal of Gerontology, 64 (2), 312-317, 2009. RUMALLA, K. et al. “The Effects of Hearing Aids on Postural Stability”. The Laryngoscope, vol. 125, 720-723, 2015.