Nurse Practitioner Margie Riforgiato loves running and staying active, and she often encourages her patients to build routine exercise into their schedules to improve their health. However, lots of people have trouble making physical activity a daily habit. When moving hurts, such as for those with arthritis and other pain or chronic conditions, it can be especially difficult.
To help these patients, Margie got trained as a certified leader for the Walk With Ease program offered by the Arthritis Foundation. Studies have shown that completing this program reduces the pain and discomfort of arthritis, increases balance and strength, improves overall health, and has other benefits for participants.
I recently sat down with Margie to learn more about the program.
Tell me about Walk With Ease!
The Walk With Ease program is designed by the Arthritis Foundation to help people with arthritis and other chronic conditions be more active and learn how to exercise safely. A lot of people with arthritis feel they can’t exercise because they’re worried it’s going to worsen their pain, or they’re worried about falling if they have balance issues. However, research shows that regular walking reduces pain, enhances mobility, and improves balance, along with many other benefits. This program offers a structured way to start walking regularly, with guidance and support from leaders and peers.
White Mountain Community Health Center offered this program in conjunction with the Gibson Center in the fall of 2025, and we’re planning to offer it again starting this June.
Who might benefit from this program?
Although the program was designed by the Arthritis Foundation, it can also be really helpful for anyone with chronic pain or other chronic conditions, such as chronic back pain, diabetes, or hypertension. If you want to become more physically active or are looking for someone to walk with, joining the program can be a great way to get started. The program will build your confidence in your ability to be physically active and teach you how to exercise in a safe and healthful way. It is also a good way to connect with other people to walk with.
How does it work?
It’s a six-week course, consisting of 18 sessions. We meet three days a week for an hour to an hour and a half. We start with a “lecturette” – a short talk with some education about stretching, posture, footwear, or how to overcome obstacles like when you don’t feel like exercising. The program follows the 5 Step Basic Walking Pattern which entails a warm-up, stretch, walk, cool down, and then stretch again. Then we walk! We start off very easy, just ten minutes of walking, then slowly build up as people’s endurance increases, with a goal of a 30 to 35 minute walk by the end.
Does it cost anything?
There’s no charge! It’s provided by the Arthritis Foundation, and they provide a complementary Walk with Ease book and certificate at the end as well.
If someone completes the program, what can they expect to be different for them at the end?
They should have increased mobility, balance, and endurance, and less pain and discomfort. After the last program, everyone was able to walk farther than they could at the beginning! Even halfway through, their progress was measurable. They gained confidence and motivation, realizing that they were able to exercise and meet their goals. Participants gain support from their peers and form connections with others to walk with. At the end of the last program, a number of people exchanged numbers so they could keep walking together. Friends and walking buddies were created!
What made you want to offer this program?
I’ve always been very passionate about advocating for those with arthritis, and have taught a number of courses to help people with arthritis over the years. Walk with Ease is a great opportunity for me to promote exercise and physical well-being for my patients and others, and to increase awareness about arthritis. As a nurse practitioner, we’re always talking about the importance of routine exercise. This course will help people get motivated and can increase their desire to exercise through leadership and camaraderie. It’s an opportunity to teach people how to exercise safely and comfortably. The program also teaches participants how to develop their own personal doable exercise plan with realistic goals, fitness assessment, and self-evaluation.
I know you love to be active. What do you get out of it that motivates you to encourage your patients to get regular exercise?
I like to run and stay active because I have noticed it really improves my mood and my physical well-being. I think of exercise as a coping mechanism which helps me escape from the stress of the day and brings me to my happy place. Walking and running have improved my sense of balance, my flexibility, and my agility. I use exercise to help reduce my stress and help fight osteoporosis which my mother had and which my twin sister and I currently have. Exercise keeps my joints moving!
Is there anyone who shouldn’t sign up?
The program is designed to be adapted for each participant according to their ability, taking into account any restrictions they might have due to arthritis or other physical limitations. If you can be on your feet for at least ten minutes without increased pain, you should be able to do Walk with Ease!
That said, people with certain conditions would want to check with their primary care provider before starting to make sure it’s safe for them, such as people on blood thinners, or with acute low blood sugar, dizzy spells, or heart conditions.
We hold the Whitaker Wander 5k every year in May, and we always hope patients will participate. People can walk the 5k, and we also have a 1-mile walk option, but it's still a stretch for some. Would Walk with Ease be a good way to prepare for that, for someone who wanted to participate but aren’t sure they can walk that far yet?
A couple people from the last program walked the Whitaker Wander this year! By the end of the program, everyone was walking close to two miles, and some could walk three miles or more. So you could join Walk with Ease this year to help you prepare for next year’s Whitaker Wander.
If someone wants to sign up for the Walk with Ease program, what should they do?
They can call the health center at (603) 447-8900! Once we have enough participants, we’ll reach out and come up with a schedule that will work for everyone.
White Mountain Community Health Center offers comprehensive primary care to men, women and children, including dental care, behavioral health, substance use disorder treatment, reproductive health, dietitian services, and care coordination, regardless of ability to pay.