Vuvuzela horn: hearing risk?

With the 2010 WC well underway in South Africa, we were asking ourselves what the impact of the vuvuzela horns could have on the die-hard supporting fans and others in the stadium.  Watching on TV it’s become clear that the horns are almost constantly being tooted.

In previous posts and articles we have mentioned that prolonged exposure to noise above 85 decibels has the potential to cause noticeable hearing impairment.

Building up to the world cup Phonak sponsored a campaign for “Hear the World” initiative which found that the vuvuzela horns emitted 127dB when blown.  Many fans will get caught up in the excitement and not take any notice of this but given these facts, there is potentially a huge health risk.  Although advice from officials is to wear ear protection, we agree with those who feel the fans should be made more aware of this.

FIFA have already defended the vuvuzela and announced that it is apart of South African football culture.  What affect will this have on players? Being subjected to approximately 90mins of roaring fans and horns surely will have an impact on concentration.

Despite all these facts, other sources like air horns, over-excited fans and even the referees whistle can produce noise over 100dB.  If you’re watching at home with your surround sound or normal TV volume up high, just remember to enjoy the beautiful game from a comfortable distance.