Running with Hearing Impairment: Safety Tips and Considerations

For a lot of people, running is an intimidating sport. Those of us who didn’t fall in love with running until well into our adult years can personally vouch for that. As someone who’s hearing and able-bodied, I can only imagine that it’s probably more intimidating if you have a disability like if you’re Deaf or hard of hearing. But I also know there are countless people in this community who are out there rocking their running route anyway. If you’re Deaf and hard of hearing and you’re looking for ways to make running safe and more accessible for you, try out these tips.

Find a Running Group You Love

The biggest accessibility barrier to running if you’re Deaf or HOH is safety. You might not be able to hear when cars, cyclists, or other dangers are coming up behind you. But as the saying goes, there’s safety in numbers. When you run in a group, you’ll have others around you to alert you to those potential hazards. Plus, your running group will be easier for those cars and cyclists to see so it’ll be easier for them to avoid you even if you don’t know they’re there.

Most towns have a variety of running groups so hopefully you can find one near you that suits your running distance and style. If you’re not sure how to find them, I recommend talking to your local running shop and they can point you in the right direction. You can also ask around on local sites like your neighborhood’s Nextdoor and your town’s Reddit subreddit.

Wear a Sign to Alert Others

Another way to help others to look out for you is to wear a sign, like a race bib-style sign or a vest, that says “Deaf” or “hard of hearing.” This can let drivers and cyclists be aware that you might not know they’re there so they can be more cautious. It also lets other runners and pedestrians know how to communicate with you if they need to. This can be especially helpful during races so that race organizers and volunteers along the course know how to communicate instructions and course directions to you.

Stick with a Pace Group (or Similar-Paced Runners)

Speaking of races, pace groups can be particularly handy if you’re Deaf or hard of hearing. Staying with a group will help you make sure you stay on course and don’t miss any instructions that might be audible but not visual. If you’re not around a particular pace group or if you’re in a smaller race that doesn’t have pace groups, you can just pick out a group of runners who seem to be around your pace and stick with them.

For Solo Runs, Try Running-Specific Surfaces

So far, most of the tips have focused on the safety of group runs. While it’s true that that’s a great strategy for runners who are Deaf or hard of hearing or other runners with disabilities, the honest truth is that group runs aren’t for everyone. Sometimes you just want the peace and freedom of a run by yourself. If you like flying solo, try to run on surfaces that are as pedestrian-specific as possible.

For example, try to avoid running on the road so you don’t have to worry about cars. Look for paved paths and trails that are specifically for runners and walkers. Mixed use paths are better than roads, but you do have to keep watch for cyclists and scooters. A track is always a safe choice, but here again, every runner is different and track running isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. The same goes for treadmills - safe, sure, but if they’re not your vibe, that’s okay too. Ultimately the goal is just to find a place that’s as close to 100% pedestrians as possible.

Be More Cautious About Lighting

As a woman living in a city, I’m picky about how light it has to be when I’m out running. While it’s safe advice to everyone to try to minimize running in the dark, that’s something you’ll want to be especially careful about when you’re Deaf or hard of hearing since you don’t have sound to supplement your vision when you’re watching out for hazards. If and when you do need to run in lower light, make sure you wear reflectors or a headlamp or some other form of light to make it easier for drivers and others to see you.

Consider a Waterproof Hearing Aid Bag

If you wear hearing aids, you might not know how to manage them with running. Most hearing aids are designed to be water resistant, but they’re not waterproof and they’re not as resistant to the salty consistency of sweat. If you’re sweating a lot, that could damage them, so you may not want to wear them for your run.

One option is to get a small sealing waterproof bag. This way you can wear your hearing aids on your way to and from your run, but you can put them in the bag and stick them in your pocket, vest, or whatever else you use for storage while you run. That will keep them safe and dry so you can put them back in on your way home. Plus, it makes it less likely that you’ll lose them in the process since they’re so small.

Running is a sport that can bring so much joy and stress relief to people, and i believe in making it accessible to as many people as possible, which includes the Deaf and hard of hearing community. If you’ve been thinking about giving it a try, these tips can help you stay safe. Happy running!