What if your walk to work could actually make your day better — without making it longer?
That’s the surprising insight from a new study in part led by Israeli professor, Jonathan Rabinowitz of Bar Ilan University, featured in the Times of Israel, showing that you can walk more during your commute without increasing your overall travel time. By smartly splitting the trip — for example, walking to a more distant transit stop, or getting off one stop early — commuters can add meaningful movement into their day without sacrificing convenience.
“Research has shown that a brisk 20-minute walk each day can reduce the risk of early death by up to 25%.” - Prof. Jonathan Rabinowitz of Bar-Ilan’s Weisfeld School of Social Work
These small changes are exactly what clinicians, therapists, and health systems are starting to lean into, because walking isn’t just good for the soul. It’s also one of the most revealing indicators of long-term health.
According to the research, published in BMC Public Health, people often underestimate how much agency they have in shaping their commute. The study simulated realistic travel options, and found that even slight route changes could significantly increase daily walking, without requiring more time.
“We’re trying to help people make small tweaks to their everyday life that will have an impact on their wellness,” Rabinowitz said. “We’re encouraging people to take small steps, so to speak.”
That’s a mindset shift clinicians can run with — encouraging patients to walk more, not just in therapy, but out in the world, as part of their daily rhythm.
Physical therapists and rehab clinics have long relied on tests like the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) to assess endurance, gait, and mobility. It’s valuable — but limited. It’s traditionally done in a clinic, in a controlled environment, often with a stopwatch.
Now imagine replacing that single snapshot with continuous, real-life data, collected during a patient’s commute, their lunch break, or an evening stroll.
That’s what OneStep makes possible.
Just by keeping their phone in their pocket, patients walking outside can generate detailed gait data for their care teams, with no extra effort, and no scheduled test. Stride length, symmetry, balance, variability — all captured seamlessly. And because the walks are happening in real-world settings, the insights are richer, more representative, and more actionable.
Plus? It’s more fun. Patients get a Walk Score, can track their progress, and even compete with themselves over time. It’s less "test day," and more daily motivation.
When rehab clinicians encourage patients to take a short walk — say, from the bus stop, around the block, or to a farther parking spot — it’s more than general wellness advice. It’s a data collection opportunity. Instead of pushing exercise, we meet people where they are—on their commute, walking the dog, etc. Reframing the commute as care allows for sustainable improvement.
OneStep captures the rest. A walk becomes both a clinical tool and a lifestyle upgrade.
Every walk becomes a functional test. Every step tells a story.
Clinics that use OneStep are seeing improved engagement, better adherence, and more consistent insight into how patients are doing — between visits, after discharge, or in early stages of recovery. And because it works on any smartphone, it’s accessible and scalable.
For clinicians, it’s a way to stay connected. For patients, it’s a way to stay motivated.
Walking improves cardiovascular health, reduces stress, and boosts cognition, giving people agency without life rearrangement.
With OneStep, that walk is measurable, trackable, and meaningful.
Step off a stop early. Walk extra blocks. OneStep turns it into insight.
One’s health journey isn't just in the clinic; it's how one moves through the world.
Try a quick walk with our app clip today, and see how your walk (or your patient’s) becomes a story worth following — with gait insights, progress tracking, and Walk Scores that move with you.