monitor_heart HealthGait
The Sixth Vital Sign

Your walking speed
is a vital sign.
Do you know yours?

In a 2011 JAMA study of 34,485 adults 65+, walking speed tracked survival: each 0.1 m/s faster was linked to about 12% lower mortality, and speeds of 1.0 m/s or more to better-than-expected life expectancy (Studenski et al., JAMA 2011). Most people have never measured theirs. Take the free 10-second test in your kitchen right now.

Measure my walking speed — free arrow_forward

Clinician or care team? A clinician-review path is in design and not live; nothing is billed through this site. The surgeon side lives at SurgeonValue →

HealthGait in 15 seconds

Text version:
  1. Walking speed is a vital sign. Most people have never measured theirs.
  2. Speed tracks survival. 34,485 adults 65+. Studenski, JAMA 2011.
  3. Walk with your phone for 20 seconds. Cadence, steadiness, symmetry. Nothing uploaded.
  4. Or read your six-month trend. From your phone's own data. Nothing stored.
  5. HealthGait. Walking speed, the sixth vital sign. healthgait.com
Take it yourself

The 10-second walk test

Gait speed below 1.0 m/s is linked to markedly higher rates of hospitalization, disability, and reduced survival in adults 65+. Here is how to measure yours in your kitchen, right now.

How to measure

  1. 1

    Mark a 6-meter (20-foot) path on a flat, unobstructed floor. Add 2 meters at each end for acceleration and deceleration.

  2. 2

    Walk at your comfortable, everyday pace — not fast, not slow. Use any walking aid you normally use.

  3. 3

    A helper starts a stopwatch when your lead foot crosses the start line and stops it when it crosses the finish.

  4. 4

    Repeat three times and enter your best time in the calculator. This is the same test used in every major longevity study.

Your gait speed

meters
seconds

Thresholds: <0.6 frailty / 0.6–1.0 limited mobility / 1.0–1.2 preserved / >1.2 robust

directions_walk

Measure it right now

20-second phone walk test

Walk with your phone for twenty seconds; its motion sensor reads your cadence, steadiness, and left/right symmetry — entirely on your device, nothing uploaded.

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chair

Add a second self-test

30-second sit-to-stand

Your phone counts each stand automatically and scores your lower-body strength against age and sex norms. Walking speed and leg strength together draw the fuller mobility picture.

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New — no stopwatch needed

Your iPhone has been measuring your gait for years.
Read it in one minute.

Export your Apple Health data, drop it on the Gait Check, and see your walking speed, steadiness, and 6-month trend — with an early flag if it's slipping. Computed entirely on your device. Nothing uploads, nothing is stored.

Run the Gait Check — free arrow_forward

The method behind every number is published in the open — cited thresholds, the exact formula, honest limits. Or see how the AirPods, iPhone & Watch you already wear become one gait signal, built on Apple Intelligence.

Less data. More done.

Not a dashboard. One number, one action.

A number you glance at and ignore is a design failure, not a health tool. Your gait number is one signal with one next step — across three doors:

Step 1 · fallrisks.com
See it coming

A 3-minute STEADI screener puts a number on the risk you can’t feel yet — the reframe from fear to agency.

Start there →
Step 2 · healthgait.com · you’re here
Know your number

The sixth vital sign, read from the phone in your pocket — one number, one trend, on-device. Not 200 metrics you ignore.

Run the Gait Check →
Step 3 · motionsole.com
Act on it

See your gait live on camera, with the method published in the open. A clinician-review path is in design; nothing is billed.

The platform →
Beyond the one-time test

The 10-second test is a snapshot.
Your iPhone watches every day.

Your iPhone already measures Walking Steadiness — a validated fall-risk signal. We read it, show your trend, warn you early, and pair you with the right shoe. The sensor's already in your pocket; the shoe is the fix.

See the Smart Shoe arrow_forward

The Sixth Vital Sign

Clinical Insight

Walking Speed vs. Longevity

In a 2011 JAMA study of 34,485 adults 65 and over, walking speed tracked survival alongside age, sex and chronic conditions (Studenski et al.). It reflects several body systems at once: nerves, muscles, joints, heart and lungs.

1.2 m/s Optimal Range · test yours
34,485 Adults Studied (JAMA 2011) · source
analytics

Real-time Metrics

Your phone's motion sensor reads cadence, steadiness, and left/right symmetry in a 20-second walk.

Try the phone walk testarrow_forward
A person walking on a concrete surface

A cited method, not a black box.

HealthGait reads the walking data your phone already collects using a published, cited method. The trend over weeks and months — not any single reading — is what you and your clinician act on.

Reading raw motion is becoming a commodity — open models like Inertia-1 (UCLA / Duke / Johns Hopkins, 2026) turn wearable accelerometry into health signal for free. That is exactly why the durable part isn't the reading — it's the cited method and the clinician who acts on the trend.

The same rule holds for recovery: a wearable "readiness" score is a product feature, not a biomarker — watch your raw baseline, not the grade.

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    Trend Over Snapshot

    One reading is a data point; a 90-day trend is a signal worth acting on.

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    Built for the Handoff

    Every report cites its method and sources — the same one you print for a physician or physical therapist.

health_and_safety Apple Health + Claude AI

Your watch already knows.
Bring it to your clinician.

Apple provides the on-device foundation — the sensors, and an OS increasingly built to keep health data private and local, the same era Apple Intelligence is built for. HealthGait reads the daily walking-speed, step-length, double-support and asymmetry readings into a trend you can print and bring to your own clinician. For clinicians, a path where AI drafts a 90-day trend summary and a licensed clinician reviews it and signs or strikes it is in design. It is not live, and nothing is billed through this site.

1.2 m/s
Walking speed (HealthKit)
88%
Walking symmetry
0.68m
Step length (trending down)
In design
Clinician-review path. Not live; nothing billed here
watch
Apple Watch collects passively
Steps, gait speed, asymmetry, cadence — no app needed
psychology
AI drafts a trend summary (in design)
The same 90-day decline threshold as the free Gait Check above
draw
A licensed clinician signs or strikes it
AI drafts; it is never the final word. Not live yet
block
Nothing is billed here
RTM billing is the practice's own decision. A surgeon cannot bill RTM inside their own global period
Studenski et al. JAMA 2011

What your walking speed actually predicts

The landmark Studenski study pooled data from 34,485 community-dwelling adults aged 65 and older across 9 cohorts. Walking speed tracked survival alongside age, sex and chronic conditions. Here is what the zones mean in practice. Not medical advice; share your score with your clinician.

Speed
Clinical Zone
What the evidence says
< 0.6 m/s
Frailty zone
The <0.6 m/s band is from Fritz & Lusardi (2009); Studenski found a continuous gradient with no cutoff, with predicted 10-year survival at age 75 as low as 19% (men) and 35% (women) at the slowest speeds studied. Linked to fall risk, hospitalization, and loss of community ambulation. Targeted strength and balance training can improve gait speed within 8–12 weeks.
0.6 – 1.0 m/s
Limited mobility
Independent walking indoors, but community ambulation (crossing a timed intersection, managing inclines, stairs under load) may be compromised. The 0.8 m/s mark corresponds to median life expectancy for most ages in the Studenski cohorts.
1.0 – 1.2 m/s
Preserved function
Full community mobility. Consistent survival advantage over the limited-mobility group. At 1.0 m/s or above, 10-year survival in the Studenski cohorts ranged from 57% to 91% depending on age and sex — substantially better than below this threshold.
> 1.2 m/s
Robust
The fastest speeds in the Studenski cohorts tracked the highest survival. At this speed, the additional clinical value shifts to symmetry, cadence consistency, and step-length trends — the metrics Apple Watch captures passively that a timed walk test cannot.
info

Thresholds above are derived from Studenski et al., JAMA 2011, which measured comfortable walking speed on a 4-meter course. Apple Watch measures walking speed passively during normal daily walking; values are comparable but not identical to a standardized 4-meter test. Walking speed is a population-level predictor, not a diagnostic test — a single low reading does not predict individual outcomes. Use these ranges to start a conversation with your clinician, not to draw a conclusion. Not medical advice.

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Where this comes from

Sources: JAMA 2011 (Studenski), CMS Physician Fee Schedule 2022, CDC STEADI, Apple HealthKit documentation. General education, not medical advice.

Understanding Gait Analysis & RTM

Clinical evidence and the RTM rules, for clinicians. HealthGait bills nothing.

Walking Speed as the Sixth Vital Sign

A landmark 2011 JAMA study of 34,485 community-dwelling adults (Studenski et al.) found that walking speed tracked survival alongside age, sex and chronic conditions. Speeds of 1.0 m/s or more were associated with better-than-expected survival, and slower speeds with poorer survival, along a continuous gradient rather than a single cutoff.

Walking speed integrates the functional state of the neurological, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and pulmonary systems into a single measurable number — making it uniquely valuable as a longitudinal health indicator. The NIH Toolbox includes 4-Meter Walk Speed as a standard assessment for this reason. Apple Watch Series 6 and later measures walking speed passively and continuously, generating a clinically meaningful data stream at zero patient burden.

RTM: The Codes, and What HealthGait Does Not Do

CMS finalized Remote Therapeutic Monitoring (RTM) codes in the 2022 Physician Fee Schedule. Unlike Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM), RTM covers non-physiologic data including musculoskeletal function, respiratory function, and therapy adherence — making it directly applicable to gait monitoring. The five core codes are 98975 (setup, once per episode), 98976 (respiratory device supply, 30-day), 98977 (musculoskeletal device supply, 30-day — the one that applies to gait), 98980 (first 20 min clinical time), and 98981 (additional 20 min).

The device-supply codes need 16 or more days of data in a 30-day period; the time codes need documented clinician review and patient communication. Payment depends on payer and locality, and only one practitioner can bill RTM for a patient in a given 30 days. HealthGait bills nothing; RTM billing is the practice's own decision under its payer rules, and a surgeon cannot bill RTM inside their own global surgical period. Its clinician-review path is in design.

Gait Changes as Early Disease Markers

Multiple studies have identified gait changes as early markers for conditions that appear clinically years later. A 2012 Neurology study found that slower walking speed and shorter stride length precede clinical Alzheimer's disease diagnosis by 5–7 years. Gait variability (inconsistency in step timing) is a sensitive marker for Parkinson's disease progression that outperforms clinical motor scoring on some measures.

For post-surgical patients, the walking-speed trend in the weeks after discharge is one signal a care team may want to watch during a 90-day CJR-X episode. FallRisks home assessment pairs with HealthGait to complete the fall-risk picture.

CJR-X: The 90-Day Recovery Window Is Now Mandatory — and Scored on Data

On July 31, 2026, CMS finalized CJR-X, the first nationwide mandatory joint-replacement bundle. For hip, knee, and ankle replacements, the hospital is now accountable for the full 90 days after discharge — physical therapy, home health, readmissions. An objective walking-speed record across those 90 days lets a care team see recovery rather than guess at it.

Status
Final. FY2027 IPPS Final Rule (CMS-1849-F), July 31, 2026. Not a proposal.
Applies to
Most IPPS hospitals, nationwide including U.S. Territories. Mandatory — no opt-out.
Procedures
Hip, knee, and ankle replacement, from an inpatient or a hospital-outpatient admission.
Performance starts
January 1, 2028. The proposed October 1, 2027 start was moved back in the final rule.
The episode
The procedure plus everything for 90 days after discharge — PT, home health, SNF, imaging, DME, ED visits, readmissions.
Win or lose
CMS sets a regional, risk-adjusted target price for the whole episode. Beat it with acceptable quality and keep the difference; miss it — or score poorly on the readmission-weighted quality gate — and repay.
Exceptions
Hospitals in the TEAM model, Maryland hospitals, and hospitals not paid under both IPPS and OPPS.

Source: FY2027 IPPS/LTCH Final Rule, CMS-1849-F (Federal Register 2026-15833), finalized July 31, 2026; mandatory nationwide from January 1, 2028. Full breakdown on the surgeon side: surgeonvalue.com/cjr-x. Not legal or billing advice.

Apple HealthKit: The Passive Gait Data Stream

Apple Watch Series 4 and later measures six validated gait metrics using the device's accelerometer and gyroscope: walking speed, step length, step cadence, walking asymmetry, double support time, and stair ascent/descent speed. Independent validation studies have compared Apple Watch and iPhone gait metrics against research-grade motion capture systems, generally finding strong agreement for walking speed.

These metrics are stored in Apple Health as HKQuantityType samples and are accessible via the HealthKit API with user consent. The free Gait Check reads an Apple Health export on your own device and shows the trend, with an early flag if it is slipping. Nothing uploads. A clinician-facing version, where AI drafts a trend summary and a licensed clinician signs or strikes it, is in design.

Integrating Gait Monitoring with Home Care

Gait monitoring is most impactful when embedded in a care coordination framework. A clinician who identifies gait deterioration in isolation has limited ability to act; a care team that includes a home caregiver, physician, and family coordinator can respond to early warning signals with concrete interventions — medication review, physical therapy referral, or home environment assessment.

Families coordinating care for a parent can start at CaresCircle. co-op.care is building a worker-owned companion-care cooperative; paid care has not started.

Frequently Asked Questions

What RTM codes apply to gait analysis? add
Codes 98975 (setup), 98977 (musculoskeletal device supply, 30-day), 98980 (first 20 min clinical time), and 98981 (additional 20 min) are the core set for gait monitoring. Requires 16+ days of data in a 30-day period and documented clinician review. Payment depends on payer and locality. HealthGait bills nothing; RTM billing is the practice's own decision under its payer rules, and a surgeon cannot bill RTM inside their own global surgical period.
Who bills for gait assessments — physician or therapist? add
RTM codes 98980 and 98981 can be billed by physicians, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists under their own NPI. The billing provider must have a documented plan of care and must personally review data and communicate with the patient. HealthGait bills nothing; RTM billing is the practice's own decision under its payer rules, and a surgeon cannot bill RTM inside their own global surgical period.
How many days of data are required to bill RTM? add
CMS requires at least 16 days of remote monitoring data within a 30-day period to bill device supply codes (98976, 98977). Apple Watch collects gait data passively every day, making 16-day compliance straightforward for patients who wear the device regularly.
What is walking speed and why does it matter clinically? add
Walking speed (gait velocity) is the sixth vital sign. A landmark 2011 JAMA study of 34,485 adults found walking speed was a strong independent predictor of survival. It integrates neurological, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and pulmonary health into a single measurable metric — faster than drawing labs for many clinical questions.
Does Medicare reimburse RTM for gait monitoring? add
Yes. CMS finalized RTM reimbursement under the Physician Fee Schedule effective January 2022. RTM codes 98975–98981 are payable by Medicare for musculoskeletal conditions, which includes gait impairment, balance disorders, and fall risk. Note that RTM device-supply billing (98977) requires a device meeting the FDA definition of a medical device — a general-wellness consumer product does not automatically qualify, so confirm device eligibility with your billing and compliance guidance.
What gait metrics does HealthGait measure? add
Six core metrics from Apple Health: walking speed (m/s), step length (m), step cadence (steps/min), walking asymmetry (%), double support time (%), and stair ascent/descent speed. These map directly to the Timed Up and Go test, 10-Meter Walk Test, and Dynamic Gait Index — the gold-standard clinical fall-risk assessments.
Can HealthGait data be used in an EHR? add
HealthGait shows your trend on your own device, and you can print or share the report yourself. It does not connect to any EHR today; an EHR connection is design work, not a built feature.
How does HealthGait connect to FallRisks? add
FallRisks assesses the home environment — grab bars, lighting, and rugs. HealthGait assesses the individual's gait — walking speed, symmetry, and step length. Together they provide a complete fall risk picture: environmental and physiological. Families can share both results with their own care team.
Which patients benefit most from gait monitoring? add
Highest-value populations: post-surgical patients (total joint replacement, spine), stroke/TBI rehabilitation, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, older adults with documented fall history, and patients on high-fall-risk medications. For post-surgical patients, the walking-speed trend in the weeks after discharge is one signal a care team may want to watch during a 90-day CJR-X episode.
How is HealthGait different from a clinical gait lab? add
A clinical gait lab uses force plates and motion capture at $800–$3,000 per session. HealthGait uses Apple Watch accelerometer/gyroscope for continuous passive monitoring at near-zero marginal cost. The tradeoff: a lab provides granular biomechanical detail in one session; HealthGait provides longitudinal trend data across months.
CDC STEADI · Clinical Reference

Timed Up and Go Test: what your time means

The TUG test measures functional mobility — how long it takes to stand from a chair, walk 3 meters, turn, and return. It is the primary objective fall-risk screening test in the CDC STEADI program and correlates directly with gait speed. Conduct it twice; use the better time.

Podsiadlo D & Richardson S, J Am Geriatr Soc 1991 · CDC STEADI Algorithm 2024

TUG Time
Interpretation
Clinical action
< 12 s
Normal mobility. Community-independent ambulation. Fall risk not elevated by TUG alone.
Maintain with daily walking. Gait speed > 1.0 m/s expected. Retest annually or if health changes.
12–20 s
Fall risk elevated. CDC STEADI uses 12 s as the primary screening threshold. Functional mobility limited; community activities challenged.
Refer for balance and strength training. Medication review. Home hazard assessment. Consider PT evaluation. Exercise to prevent falls carries a USPSTF Grade B recommendation for adults 65 and older at increased risk (JAMA, 2024).
> 20 s
High fall risk. Significant functional limitation. Associated with near-universal fall risk and high rates of ADL dependence.
Urgent PT assessment. Assistive device evaluation. Geriatric medicine referral if not already underway. Do not delay.

TUG vs gait speed — what each captures

Gait speed (10MWT / HealthGait): pure walking velocity on a straight path. The sixth vital sign. Best for longitudinal trend tracking. Normal: > 1.0 m/s.
TUG test: composite of sit-to-stand, walking, turning, and sitting back — a functional mobility circuit. Captures transfer ability and turning gait, which gait speed alone misses. Normal: < 12 s.

A slower time is information, not a verdict. Gait speed is one of the most modifiable vital signs there is — progressive strength and balance work measurably raises it, and gait speed that improves tracks with better survival, not only gait speed that starts high (Hardy, JAGS 2007; Studenski, JAMA 2011). Your number tells you where to start, not where you end.

Sources: Podsiadlo & Richardson, J Am Geriatr Soc 1991; CDC STEADI Algorithm 2024; Bohannon RW, Gait Posture 2006. Not a substitute for clinical evaluation.

Connected Care Ecosystem

HealthGait is one layer of a complete care system. Pair it with a home safety check, family coordination, and your own clinician.

FallRisks home assessment MotionSole shoe & stride analysis ArthritisRisk joint-pain triage co-op.care cooperative SurgeonValue for surgeons CaresCircle family coordination ComfortCard HSA/FSA tracking

Gait data: Apple HealthKit. RTM rules: CMS Physician Fee Schedule 2022. Clinical evidence: JAMA 2011 (Studenski et al.), Neurology 2012. Not a substitute for medical advice.

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