Top Tips On How to Use Your Crutches and Walking Sticks During Winter
Winter brings icy pavements, leaves under foot, rain, darkness and the cold...all of which can make using crutches and walking sticks more challenging. Whether your mobility aid is your forever companion or just something you reach for when you’re not feeling 100%, these walking stick and crutch tips for winter will help you stay safe, steady and confident. Plus we’ll highlight some accessories that really make a difference.
✅ 1. Wrap Up & Size Up
When you’ve got on thick winter coats and more layers underneath, your usual crutch cuffs can be a bit too snug. Suddenly you aren't able to fit your arm easily into your crutch and you're having to jam it in OR pull your sleeve up as it won't fit.
Our Extra-Wide Cuffs give you 5cm extra room so when you've got a jumper or coat on, your arm doesn't get stuck when you put it through the cuff. It's a simple swap that can make heading out in the cold a lot less stressful!
✅ 2. No More Slipping
One of the best winter crutch tips is the tip! On ice, leaves, snow or slush it’s the ferrule (rubber tip) that changes everything. First of all, worn-out tips drastically increase slip risk as there’s no grip at all, but even new standard ferrules aren’t designed for wintry terrain. That’s why we only recommend using High-Performance Ferrules in autumn and winter. They have been specially designed for stability and safety, combining a four-winged flexible base with a non-slip underside to enhance balance, absorb impact, and keep you steady when on the move, they’re a total game-changer for crutches and walking sticks alike.
✅ 3. Footwear is Key
Even with the best accessories, icy or uneven surfaces can be tricky. Your winter footwear matters just as much as your winter crutches or walking stick.
Choose shoes or boots with:
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Non-slip rubber soles
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Supportive ankle coverage
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Easy fastenings (Velcro or zips if hand dexterity is tricky in the cold)
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Waterproof materials to keep feet dry and warm
Stable shoes + stable aids = stable walking.
✅ 4. Stay Visible
Shorter days and darker evenings make visibility essential, for both you and others. Whether you’re doing the school run in the dark, navigating the supermarket car park, using public transport or heading to dinner, being seen AND being able to see is very important.
Our favourite two products to help with this are our Mobility Aid Torch and our Glow In The Dark Crutches and Walking Stick.
The torch clips easily onto any crutch or walking stick, not just ours, and lights your path while helping others see you too. And for an extra layer of safety (and fun!), our Glow-in-the-Dark walking aids will boost your visibility even more so you won't get caught on our those dark evenings.
✅ 5. Move with Intention
It's no good having all the gear, but no idea...
Plan ahead and think about your route. Ideally you want to avoid cobble streets, hills, and pavements that don't cleared of snow, leaves or ice. This isn't always possible, so if you are walking out on some ropey terrain, remember your pace matters. Use shorter steps and don't rush. The biggest risk is hidden ice under snow, so try and stick to salted paths.
When you are home, make sure you wipe down your crutch or walking stick tips to remove ice or snow so you don't slip, and grit or salt, which deteriorates ferrules.
✅ 6. Comfort Matters
Cold handles + cold hands = hell. Not only will it stop you going out all together so you don't have to suffer the pain, but when you do go out, your poor grip can lead to extra fatigue and even poor posture. Our Soft Grips for both walking sticks and crutches cushion your hands for all round extra comfort, but also to provide a material layer between your cold palms and the cold plastic handle. When your upper body is working harder (because weather or terrain is working against you) comfortable handles = happier and safer walking.
Winter doesn’t have to mean staying indoors or feeling unsafe with your mobility aids. With the right mobility aid accessories and the right mindset, you can keep moving confidently through the season.
We hope you found our walking stick and crutches winter tips useful. Please stay steady. Stay safe. Stay moving!
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