Quick answer: On icy or snowy days, plan around the ice rather than braving it: check the Met Office forecast, put off trips that can wait, wear well-fitting shoes with a good grip, keep your hands free and take small, slow steps. Keep up strength and balance exercises indoors. If you fall, the NHS advises staying calm and checking for injury before getting up slowly. Call 999 if you cannot get up or may have hurt your head, neck, back or hip.
Stiff knees and hips, sore feet, weaker grip and slower reactions make icy pavements harder for people with arthritis, and frailty raises the cost of a fall. This guide is about getting through cold snaps safely: when to stay in, how to set yourself up if you do go out, what to do if you fall, and how to keep your legs strong while the weather keeps you indoors.
Before you go out
- Check the forecast and any Met Office weather warnings the night before
- Ask whether the trip can wait until later in the day, when ice has had a chance to thaw, or be done by someone else. Ask your pharmacy whether it delivers prescriptions
- Keep a few days of food and enough of your regular medicines at home before a cold snap, so you are not forced out
- Wear warm layers, a hat and gloves. Cold, stiff hands grip a stick or handrail less well
- Carry a charged mobile phone or wear your personal alarm, and tell someone where you are going
- Do a five-minute warm-up indoors first — ankle circles, marching on the spot holding a worktop, sit-to-stands — so joints are not cold and stiff on the first step
Shoes and walking aids
- The NHS advises shoes that fit well, do not slip off and have a good grip. See our walking shoes guide for what to look for with sore feet and joints
- Slip-on ice grips can help on packed snow and ice. Take them off before walking on shop floors or tiles, where they can be slippery
- Check the rubber tip (ferrule) on a walking stick or frame. A worn tip slips more easily, and some ferrules are designed for ice
- Use a walking aid that has been set up for you. A physiotherapist can check the height and type; our walking aids guide explains the options
- Use a rucksack or cross-body bag so both hands are free for a stick, rail or to break a fall
Walking on ice and snow
- Take small, slow steps with your feet flat and slightly apart
- Choose gritted main routes over shortcuts, and use handrails on steps and slopes
- Watch for ice in shaded spots, on bridges, on drain covers and on smooth paving early in the morning and after dark
- Hold the car door frame and get both feet on the ground before you stand up from a car
- Go steady when you come indoors — wet soles on smooth floors cause slips too
Clearing snow and carrying grit are heavy jobs. If you have a heart or lung condition, a flare, or are unsteady, ask a neighbour or family member to do it.
Keeping strong when you are stuck indoors
Days indoors can quietly weaken the muscles that keep you steady. The NHS recommends older adults are active every day and do strength and balance activities at least twice a week.
- Try short indoor walks every hour and our tai chi for balance routine
- Our staying active in winter guide has indoor ideas for different joints, and the exercise hub has more
- Keep the rooms you use warm; see the cold home guide and cold weather and arthritis
- The NHS advises considering a daily vitamin D supplement from October to early March for bones and muscles — see our winter vitamin D guide
If you fall
The NHS advises staying calm and taking a couple of minutes to check for pain or injury before trying to move. If you feel able to get up:
- Roll onto your side, then push up onto your hands and knees
- Crawl to something stable, such as a sturdy chair, wall or railing
- Put one foot flat on the ground and stand up slowly, holding on
- Sit and rest before carrying on, and tell someone what happened
If you cannot get up, use your phone or alarm, or shout for help. Keep as warm as you can and keep moving your arms and legs while you wait.
Call 999 if you or someone else has fallen and:
- cannot get up
- may have injured their head, neck, back or hip
- has severe hip pain or cannot put weight on a leg — possible signs of a broken hip
- has been knocked out, is very drowsy, or has new weakness or problems speaking after a knock to the head
Contact NHS 111 if you have hit your head and take a blood-thinning medicine, feel dizzy or are being sick, or if you are in pain or feel unwell after a fall. A painful, swollen wrist after putting your hand out to break a fall needs checking at an urgent treatment centre or A&E.
If someone else falls, keep them warm and comfortable. Help them up only if they can do most of it themselves — do not try to lift them.
After a fall or a near miss
- See a GP if you have had a fall or are worried about your balance. In some areas you can refer yourself to a falls service
- Falls services can check strength, balance, eyesight, bone health and medicines, in line with NICE NG249 on falls assessment and prevention
- If you broke a bone, ask about a bone health check. Our bone density guide explains why
- Feeling nervous about going out again is common. Building back with short, planned walks helps — see walking with arthritis
- Our falls prevention guide covers home safety, medicines and exercise
Frequently asked questions
Is it safer to stay in when it is icy?
For trips that can wait, often yes. But staying in for days on end can weaken muscles and stiffen joints, so keep moving indoors and go out when routes are gritted or thawed.
Does a walking stick help on ice?
A stick at the right height with a good rubber tip can give extra support, but it will not stop a slip on sheet ice. Slow down, use handrails and avoid the worst routes.
Why do my joints feel worse in the cold?
Many people notice more stiffness in cold weather, though research is mixed. Warm up before you go out and keep layers on. Our cold weather guide has more.
Sources and further reading
- NHS: Falls
- NHS: Broken hip
- NHS: Head injury and concussion
- NHS: Broken arm or wrist
- NHS: Walking aids, wheelchairs and mobility scooters
- NICE NG249: Falls — assessment and prevention in older people
- Met Office: UK weather warnings
- Age UK: Falls prevention
Educational information for people in the United Kingdom — not a diagnosis or personal medical advice. Charity no. 1218461. Pending clinical review. Everyone's situation is different, so always follow the advice of your own GP, pharmacist or rheumatology team. If you feel very unwell, call 999 or go to A&E. For urgent advice, contact NHS 111.
Continue with related help
- Falls prevention — home safety, medicines and exercise
- Walking shoes for arthritis — grip, support and easy fastenings
- Walking aids — sticks, frames and getting one fitted
- Tai chi for balance — gentle steadiness practice indoors
- Staying active in winter — indoor movement ideas
- Cold weather and arthritis — stiffness, warmth and comfort
- Vitamin D in winter — NHS advice for bones and muscles
- Bone density — bone health after a break