Does hearing impairment affect gait under realistic conditions?

Hearing loss is associated with increased risk of falling, but little is known about how hearing impairment might affect mobility. Here, we report preliminary results from an ongoing experimental study investigating dynamic properties of gait while walking with and without impaired hearing. Young- and middle-aged adult participants with self-reported normal hearing completed four walking tasks, 2 indoors, 2 outdoors, each conducted with and without a simulated hearing loss. In the impaired condition, participants wore an insert earplug in one ear combined with binaural, circumaural noise-damping headphones. We quantified gait parameters using data from inertial measurement units (IMUs) affixed to participants’ ankles and waist, allowing participants to walk farther than in typical gait assessments. Parameters included standard gait metrics, such as limb acceleration as well as a novel spatiotemporal index quantifying variability in step patterns. Data have been collected from 13 of 30 projected participants. Analysis will focus on how temporal-spatial gait parameters and variability differ between indoor and outdoor walking with and without hearing impairment. We expect gait parameters to reflect a more variable and potentially less mobile walking strategy in the outdoor condition and with impaired hearing due to increased cognitive load and/or reduced spatial awareness in those conditions.