The Occlusion Effect: How Do You Walk with Earmuffs/Defenders?

[Elho]

I find that they thud because they're not tight enough to prevent that noise when I walk. Even with earplugs, I still hear the impact noise with each step. How do you avoid this? For me, they work well when sitting, but they're not great when I'm moving, or at least I worry that the thud might be making things worse. It's hard to tell.

Thanks very much for any tips.

 

[Bill Arsenault]

Yes, ear protection can feel like a never-ending challenge and is often difficult to get just right.

Hard plastic-covered earmuffs are convenient, but they come with drawbacks. Bumping them can be loud and irritating, and unless they're uncomfortably tight against your head, low-frequency sounds can still get through—and sometimes seem even louder. For example, earmuffs are practically useless for me around diesel engines. They do an okay job at blocking sharp, high-frequency noises around the house, but I've mostly given up on using earmuffs at work. I find that the orange Max foam earplugs work best overall, although they're not convenient by any stretch. They get dirty easily and usually need to be moistened with water before inserting. Too much moisture, though, will ruin the plug immediately. I also need tweezers handy most of the time just to remove them.

One thing I haven't found a solution for is the sound of my own footsteps when walking or running with my ears blocked. At first, this bothered me, but now that type of noise is the least of my worries. The oscillating sound of my severe tinnitus is so distracting that it overshadows just about everything else.

Best wishes.

 

[Elho]

Yes, ear protection can feel like a never-ending challenge and is often difficult to get just right.

Hard plastic-covered earmuffs are convenient, but they come with drawbacks. Bumping them can be loud and irritating, and unless they're uncomfortably tight against your head, low-frequency sounds can still get through—and sometimes seem even louder. For example, earmuffs are practically useless for me around diesel engines. They do an okay job at blocking sharp, high-frequency noises around the house, but I've mostly given up on using earmuffs at work. I find that the orange Max foam earplugs work best overall, although they're not convenient by any stretch. They get dirty easily and usually need to be moistened with water before inserting. Too much moisture, though, will ruin the plug immediately. I also need tweezers handy most of the time just to remove them.

One thing I haven't found a solution for is the sound of my own footsteps when walking or running with my ears blocked. At first, this bothered me, but now that type of noise is the least of my worries. The oscillating sound of my severe tinnitus is so distracting that it overshadows just about everything else.

Best wishes.

Yes, I have the orange 3M foam earplugs. I'll check out the Max ones as well and might try using them more often when I'm walking.

Best wishes, Chief.