About Us

Neil Smith
Neil Smith has worked in the Orthotic industry for 23 years and has either personally made -or overseen the manufacture of,- more than 60,000 pairs of orthotics. He has custom-made orthotics for clients including Australian representative sportspeople in cricket, rugby league, AFL, soccer, netball, basketball, rugby union, running and boxing. Thousands of non-athletes and children have also benefited from Neil's orthotics.

For many years Neil has worked closely with private and public hospitals, and it is this vast experience which has given him a sound knowledge of most conditions which can be treated with orthotic therapy.

Neil began work on the FAS in the mid 1990s when he became convinced there must be a better and more accurate way to prescribe and make orthotics. The system was almost five years in the development phase and has been rigorously tested. Read some of the testimonials Neil has received from patients who have benefited from the FAS.

All FAS orthotics are made in Neil's Vertical Orthotics Laboratory in Marrickville, Sydney.

Neil is a former champion amateur boxer, winning two state titles for NSW in 1989, 1991 and silver at the 1991 Australian titles. He also represented Australia at the 1992 Oceania Games. He is the inventor of Sports Armour, custom made protection for contact sports, which has been worn by leading rugby league and rugby union players and boxers.


Gavin Johnston
Gavin Johnston is a physiotherapist with over ten years private practice experience. He has had a special interest in biomechanics and postural problems and has worked in Australia, England and Austria with a wide variety of patients, including full-time athletes such as the Newcastle Knights team, Australian Ski team, national level rowers, elite ballet dancers and various rugby teams. He is currently practice principal of East West physiotherapy in Hunters Hill.

Gavin injured his back at 17 and suffered sciatica during his university years. He found manual therapy provided excellent short-term relief but was of little long-term benefit. It was not until he started yoga that he realized the importance of balanced muscles. As Gavin's back began to heal he could not understand why his buttock muscle would not release like the rest of his muscles were. "It was then I discovered my foot posture was the cause if my misaligned hips and, hence, my permanently overworked hip muscles," says Gavin.

"After wearing custom orthotics for a few weeks the sciatic nerve was released from my tight buttock muscles (piriformis syndrome). I have applied the principals of biomechanical balance to my patients ever since."

"The weight bearing casting methodology used in Neil's Foot Alignment System is anatomically, biomechanically and clinically superb."


Heidi Jones
Heidi Jones is a Podiatrist with 9 years experience, treating elite athletes, children, the elderly, high risk diabetics and general palliative care.

Heidi became a podiatrist after three orthopedic surgeons told her, separately, that she would never be able to run again.
A passionate athlete, who placed seventh in the City to Surf in 1991, had run a 76 minute half marathon and held several state cross country titles, Heidi decided she would try to fix her foot problem herself by studying podiatry.

She had worn orthotics since the age of 16 and had a keen interest in biomechanics. But it was not until she met Neil Smith and had orthotics fitted using his patented Foot Alignment System (FAS) that Heidi found the remedy she had been seeking.

“I was one of the first people to wear orthotics created using the FAS and I had never worn orthotics that were so comfortable and contoured to my foot,” she said.

“My running style feels more fluid and smooth and I have been able to maintain a weekly mileage of 80km without breaking down with injury – something I hadn’t been able to do for a decade.”

Heidi now works at St Vincent's Hospital and has her own practice in Bondi, Feet on the Move.