1. Real-time sound measurements of exercise classes with mobile app demonstrate excessive noise exposure
- Author
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Leanna W. Katz, Matthew R. Naunheim, Samuel R. Barber, Ishmael J M Stefanov-Wagner, Sumi Sinha, Kevin Wong, Aaron K. Remenschneider, and Elliott D. Kozin
- Subjects
geography ,medicine.medical_specialty ,education.field_of_study ,geography.geographical_feature_category ,Acoustics and Ultrasonics ,Microphone ,business.industry ,Population ,Mobile apps ,Audiology ,medicine.disease ,Noise ,Noise exposure ,Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous) ,Medicine ,Daily exposure ,business ,education ,Sound (geography) ,Noise-induced hearing loss - Abstract
Noise induced hearing loss is a major contributor to observed hearing impairment in the general population. Advanced mobile technology now allows the opportunity to directly measure noise exposure profiles on an individual basis. Herein, we conduct a pilot study to determine noise exposure in popular gym-based exercise cycling classes where music and equipment generate high intensity sound. A calibrated iOS mobile app (SoundMeter, Faber Acoustical) coupled to a microphone was used to measure noise in a random sampling of similar indoor cycling classes (n = 7). The average length of exposure was 52.33 ± 3.81 min. Maximum sound levels recorded across all classes were 125.96 dB and averaged 119.6 ± 3.5 dBA. By NIOSH standards, 31.5 ± 14.7 min were spent over 100 dBA, corresponding to a class daily exposure dose of 191% ± 1.2%. The 8-h projected dose was 1781% ± 11.9%. Preliminary data suggest that certain exercise classes may expose participants to excessive, potentially dangerous sound levels. The use of re...
- Published
- 2016
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