Walk With Ease
The Arthritis Foundation’s Walk With Ease (WWE) reduces the pain of arthritis and improves overall health among adults with osteoarthritis (OA) who have been inactive. The program teaches people with OA how to safely make physical activity part of their everyday life.
WWE is a CDC-recommended arthritis appropriate evidence-based intervention that is proven1 to:
- Reduce the pain and discomfort of arthritis
- Increase balance, strength and walking pace
- Build confidence in the ability to be physically active
- Improve overall health
About the program
WWE is a six-week program that can be delivered in two formats: instructor-led group or self-directed individual. Both formats utilize a step-by-step workbook that includes:
- Motivational tools
- Strategies to set and monitor realistic goals for improving fitness
- Tips for arthritis symptom management
- Appropriate stretching and strengthening exercises to protect joints and reduce pain
In-person instructor-led classes are:
- Taught by Arthritis Foundation trained leaders certified in CPR
- Open to 12-15 participants/class
- Held in community-based settings (e.g. community centers, senior centers), healthcare settings, and worksites
- Offered for free or low cost to participants
- To find a WWE group class near you, use the Arthritis Foundation Resource Finder
The self-directed version of WWE can be completed at your own convenience and pace using the WWE workbook. For a limited time, you can get a FREE WWE guidebook through the Osteoarthritis Action Alliance and the Arthritis Foundation here.
Camine Con Gusto– The Hispanic version of WWE, Camine Con Gusto, is also available. A community trial testing Camine Con Gusto showed improvement in self-reported outcomes in Hispanics comparable to those found in non-Hispanic white and black individuals with self-reported arthritis.2 Camine Con Gusto is offered only in the self-directed format and can be purchased here.
Know the Facts
More than 32 million adults of all ages, races, and ethnicities have osteoarthritis (OA). OA is:
- The most common form of arthritis
- A leading cause of disability
- An under-recognized public health crisis
- Increasing dramatically, due to two important OA risk factors: the aging of 78.2 million Baby Boomers, the obesity epidemic.
Although no cures for OA exist, there are effective treatments for disease management, including:
- Weight management
- Injury prevention to prevent the onset
- Physical activity and self-management education for those with OA to improve symptom management and physical function.3
References
1. Callahan, L., Shreffler, J., Altpeter, M., Schoster, B., Hootman, J., Houenou, L., Martin, K., & Schwartz, T. (2011). Evaluation of Group and Self-Directed Formats of the Arthritis Foundation’s (AF) Walk with Ease (WWE) Program, Arthritis Care & Research, 63(8): 1098–1107. doi: 10.1002/acr.20490.
2. Callahan, L.F., Rivadeneira, A., Altpeter, M., Vilen, L., Hackney, B., Cleveland, R.J., Sepulveda, V., Reuland, D., & Rojas, C.(2016). Evaluation of the Arthritis Foundation’s Camine Con Gusto Program for Hispanic Adults with Arthritis in North Carolina. Hispanic Health Care International, 14(3), 132-140. DOI: 10.1177/1540415316665202
3. Lubar D, White PH, Callahan LF, Chang RW, Helmick CG, Lappin DR, et al. A National Public Health Agenda for Osteoarthritis 2010. Semin Arthritis Rheum 2010;39(5):323-6.