The Arthritis Foundation’s Walk With Ease (WWE) program was developed to help people with or without arthritis form walking groups whose goals are safety and success. The program’s three major objectives are to provide participants with:

• Education about successful physical activity for people with arthritis
• Education about arthritis management
• Opportunity to begin and develop an ongoing aerobic fitness program.

Walk With Ease is based on research and tested programs in exercise science, behavior change and arthritis management. Sponsored by the Arthritis Foundation and based on work done at Stanford University’s Center for Research in Disease Prevention, the Thurston Arthritis Research Center and Institute on Aging of the University of North Carolina have developed Walk With Ease as a program with proven benefits!

How does it work?

Groups meet for six weeks, three times per week. Each session lasts about one hour. The length of each session depends on how long the group decides to walk. At the start, some people may only be able to walk 5 to 15 minutes, but the program will help participants gradually build up to at least 30 minutes of walking three times a week. The program can be modified to meet the interests and needs of participants, who walk at their own pace.

Each session begins with a brief discussion on a topic important to successful walking or arthritis management. After the discussion, the group will warm up, stretch, walk, cool down and stretch one last time. Walking with a group is fun, and groups often spend additional time socializing.

Who can participate?

The Walk With Ease program is designed for people with arthritis — adults 18 years or older, male and female, of varying fitness levels. It is also suitable for people without arthritis who would like to begin a regular walking program to gain the benefits of regular aerobic exercise.