Testimonials

TESTIMONIAL 1

From: Karen Mathieson

Dear Gavin and Neil,

I'd just like to thank you for helping me get my life back. As a Morton's Neuroma sufferer, prior to being fitted with the orthotics, I was in constant pain. I honestly would rather go through childbirth than have to suffer the agony of a Morton's foot again.

Three weeks on with the orthotics I am now able to walk to the shops at lunchtime as well as take the dogs for their evening walks. I am also able to stand for longer periods of time, enabling me to prepare dinner. So the dogs are happier, the husband is happier but most of all I am happier.

Best regards,
Karen

TESTIMONIAL 2

From: Mias Casiou

Guys..... I can't believe the results! I can't thank you both enough. I took a chance and it paid off big time for me. I've waited a few months because I wasn't sure if the results would last!. They have and I'm stoked!. I've had a few sets of orthotics over the past 5 years or so, each made little noticeable difference. For the first time that I would remember, I would automatically not slouch when standing up. My head was actually looking straight ahead rather than the ground... That was without trying. I had NO TWIST IN MY HIP ANYMORE. The service itself though, was second to none. Having 2 people there, looking after me like I was family was just excellent. Do yourself a favour, if you have problems with your feet, speak to these guys and see if they can help you. If the results are anything like mine, you won't regret it!.

Thanks Neil and Gavin, Thanks Foot Alignment Clinic with your fandangle measuring technique.

Cheers,

Minas

TESTIMONIAL 3

From Brendan Scollary

I just wanted to tell you how continually pleased I am with my orthotics that you've developed for me. I've been wearing them now for nearly two years and I am convinced that without them, my running would be over.

From our first meeting your ideas and methods made perfect common sense; why other "foot doctors" hadn't thought of this method before, I will never know!. It just makes sense!. Nothing was too much trouble for you and I thank you for accommodating me at early times of the day for having to travel to see you. It was well worth the drive and the investment. Your Money-bank-guarantee carries real weight, and I know firsthand how you can offer this, because you stand behind your product 100%. They work!. I am pleased to be able to recommend you to any of my friends in the running community and have done so on quite a few times in the past two years.

PS: the adjustment you made last Friday, worked a treat, it was incredible to feel the pain disappear.

Cheers,

Brendan Scollary

TESTIMONIAL 4

From Deb Carlyle-Thomas

What can I say but THANK YOU!!!! I played floor ball on Tuesday night and its the first time for about 4 months that I could really run and totally pain free in my hip and calf, needless to say we won both games!. I am so excited that I can start running again and enjoying being "pain free" sport.

Kind regards,

Deb Carlyle-Thomas

TESTIMONIAL 5

From Ersilia-Jane Taramelli

Thanks to you and Gavin for setting me up with your marvellous orthotics. To my amazement after wearing your orthotics, I felt like a fairy, tripping the light fantastic with those specially made orthotics in my sports shoes. They were so comfortable. I stood up straight, my posture changed as I felt I was being stretched and strengthened through my whole body, even to my neck and shoulders. A week later, I had my monthly massage and to my surprise that area below the knee was pain free, usually it is excruciatingly sore. My therapist could not believe it, especially as I have patella problems.

Thank you to the "Foot Alignment Clinic" for giving me a "new life". Please look after me forever.

Ersilia-Jane Taramelli
Retired Massage Therapist

TESTIMONIAL 6

From Finlay Doney

I am currently a 22 year old semi professional footballer (Soccer) playing in NSW. I'm one of the many people that have to wear orthotics in their football boots on a daily basis. When I left to pursue my football as a full time professional in Europe I struggled with one main injury, shin splints. Anyone who has had shin splints will know the pain and more so the frustrations with this overuse injury. The orthotics I wore in England where made by a machine and designed by a computer. These numbed the problem which made it bearable on a daily basis but never completely took away the sharp pain running up and down my shins while walking and running. From here I saw countless professional sports doctors trying to find the problem to no avail. Then through another footballer I was told about Neil Smith at the Foot Alignment Clinic in Marrickville. Neil had designed a much more advanced way of making orthotics by taking a foot mould while standing, a couple of days later I received my orthotics and for the first time in 3 months I couldn't feel the shooting pain in my shins. For shin splints just stop hurting the way these did 10 minutes after inserting my new orthotics was a little hard to believe. The orthotics from Neil have finally helped me over come my shin splints. I would recommend anyone who struggles with these symptoms to go and see Neil at the Foot Alignment Clinic before you spend thousands of dollars seeing sport specific doctors. In closing I would not only like to recommend Neil Smiths product but also his service, his commitment towards helping me become injury free through his knowledge and understanding of my injury was in most parts a career saver and for this I am forever indebted.

Regards,
Finlay Doney

TESTIMONIAL 7

From Cool Running Website

Hi Rizzo, I came across your post as I was checking on some old posts of mine.... I'm glad you've been to see Neil and I'm looking forward to you posting your outcome. As a postscript to my seeing Neil, now over 14 months ago, I am still running pain free many thanks to his diagnosis and treatment. In fact, this year, after running pain free since November 2007, I ran my fastest C2S in over 16 years. Cheers to Neil and his Foot Alignment Clinic. I'm first in line for when he decides to sell shares!

TESTIMONIAL 8

From Mr B.A.J Bakker

I'm 59 - I'd suffered twenty years of back pain and I thought I'd tried everything to relieve it, including chiropractic, acupuncture and making my own inner soles out of bandages, cardboard, and kitchen sponges and buying many kinds of different footwear, and abusing pain killers and alcohol. I slept with a pillow under my lower back and every other day I walked in bare feet. For the last two years I felt I would no longer be able to cope. The pain had become absolutely unbearable. With the Foot Alignment Clinic's orthotics my life came back to me. It took a few weeks to settle in to a new walking posture but now I feel twenty years younger. My sincere thanks, I really mean it-I'm saved.

TESTIMONIAL 9

From Dario Torrisi

Dear Neil and team,

I have been wearing the orthotics you made for a couple of months and they are great. My posture has improved and I have started to play a little soccer and the support for my arches has great stability. No more rolling the ankle. More support and stability was the key for me and it succeeded. Great work guys!.

I have recommended your business to potential patients. There are thousands of us out there that need the alignment corrected.

Many thanks,

Dario Torrisi

TESTIMONIAL 10

From Diane Braggins

Hello Neil, Just a short note to let you know how I am now getting on. For the past 3 years, I have constantly suffered with Chronic "Plantar Facsiitis" and "Heel Spurs" in both of my feet. After watching the "New Inventors" program on the ABC, I saw your machine and happy face. I turned to my husband and said "This is it". I have nothing more to loose, except my sanity and my life. I was heading down that road very quickly, at considerable speed in wheel chair.

I simply could not stand the pain any longer. I had tried everything, literally. It cost me thousands of dollars but all to no avail or relief of any kind. No Doctors (Specialists) in the State of Queensland could help me. I was constantly crying in pain with every step I would try to take. This was no life; to me it wasn't worth being here any longer.

I wrote Neil an email that same night after the program had finished. I explained my situation to him. The next morning, I actually received a phone call from Neil, himself. He was calling from Sydney and I was amazed. I couldn't believe it that he would phone me. I was just blown away that someone would take the time and trouble to do that for me.

After talking to Neil for about half an hour, he assured me that he would be able to help me, so I decided to fly to Sydney to see him, as I live in Brisbane. Well now people, as they say, the rest is history.

Neil, words simply cannot express how I feel now. I can now actually walk and run, for the first time in over 3 years, not to mention that I have no pain in my feet whatsoever. You have given me not only my life back but my feet as well, my sanity and my family. I will be forever indebted to you for the rest of my life as you are my hero and words will never express the gratitude and your kindness for taking the pain away with your fantastic machine that you invented.

I thank you sincerely for saving my life.

Diane Braggins

PS: Thank god I was not born a "Centipede".

TESTIMONIAL 11

Subject: My new feet

To Neil, Gavin and Heidi at the The Foot Alignment Clinic , Marrickville.

Hi guys this is one of the lucky ones who found you at the The Foot Alignment Clinic .

Lucky because now at 48 years of age and since I was 22, some 26 years ago, I have continually and constantly put up with noticeable pain in both my feet due to a horrific accident when I was 22 where both my feet were crushed in a head on collision at 80kph in my van, After 9 hours of surgery I was left with the prospect of never being likely to walk again, but far better of than the unluck couple that died in the accident.

Eight months after the accident I was on my feet again and with much pain continued on with my life managing the non stop foot pain as best as I could till now.

Since my visit to Neil, Gavin and Heidi a couple of weeks ago and with my new ORTHOTICS now taking their place between my feet and my shoes all the pain has NOT diminished as I thought it might or at least relieve some of the discomfort BUT instead the pain in BOTH my feet has VANISHED COMPLETELY. I was and am still shocked, amazed, happy and elated all at once and now all the time.

I am truthfully amazed at the results. It has been 2 weeks since placing the orthotics in my shoes and now they are more important to me than my... sorry but I am unable to think of anything that has made such a change in my life that would be more important? well maybe my wife and 4 sons are still at the top of the list, I will have to give that some thought (laughingly).

Once again thank you from the depths of my 'being' guys, you have made such a difference to my future I can never really express it fully.

Keep up the great work making others realize they too can lead a normal life once again free of foot pain.

Brian Brogaan



TESTIMONIAL 12

I saw Neil, Gavin and Heidi at The Foot Alignment Clinic in May 2005 and was cast for orthotics in The Foot Alignment System having been introduced by a friend.

After years of back and shoulder pain I had also suffered a torn medial meniscus 4 months earlier in the year. I had seen numerous physios, osteos & chiros over the years and none of them had been able to fix the heart of the problem. Neil noticed straight away how much my right foot needed correcting. It had been causing a domino effect through my body which has since been pain free and realigned as a result of wearing the ortotics Neil made for me every day.

As I have a corporate job Neil custom made a pair of orthotics that I can wear in my work shoes (which have mid sized heels) and also fit into my fashion shoes which I wear socially. I also had a pair made for my sports shoes which I love because I feel they have stabilised my knee and this gives me the confidence to exercise and do the things that I didn't think I was going to be able to do after I injured my knee.

I can't recommend them highly enough especially when I think of the thousands of dollars and the amount of time I spent trying to solve my particular problem. I only wish I had found them sooner!

I wish Neil, Gavin and Heidi great success - they have certainly made a big difference to my life!

Annie Lyons
National Speaker ManagerTEC an International Organizations of CEOs.



TESTIMONIAL 13

What can I say about the vertical alignment system. Thank you!

As an athlete 12 months ago I was unable to run due to recurrent injuries. 6 months after receiving my orthotics from Neil I was crossing the finish line in the Australian Ironman (3.8km swim, 180km bicycle, 42.2km run) pain free!

Since that time I have competed in one marathon, two half ironmans and am looking at increasing my running up to 100km/wk. Something I thought would never happen.

From a Physiotherapy and Triathlon coaching view point, a large number of injuries result from poor biomechanics in the feet and lower limb. I have no problem in recommending this product to any of my clients. All the feedback to date has been that these are the most comfortable orthotics that any of us have run in.

What more can I say?

Keep up the great work Neil. Bring on the next ironman in Port Macquarie 2006!

Rob Johnston
(Ironman Triathlete, Physiotherapist, Exercise Physiologist, Triathlon Coach)M Phty, B App Sc (ExSS), MAAESS, MAPA



TESTIMONIAL 14

To Whom This May Concern

I've used orthotics for many years as I do a lot of running and I'm very above average weight. Before orthotics, I developed a heel spur and Freiberg condition and ended up on crutches after a half marathon. So I seeked professional help and a pair of orthotics prescribed to me about 12 years ago by a good podiatrist. Whenever I needed to get them recovered I was told to go to Neil at Vertical (who made them). Time passed and the orthotics became less workable and I needed a new pair. I tried to go back to the same podiatrist and he was no longer practicing in Sydney. So I tried another podiatrist and he tried building up my existing orthotics but my pain persisted. So I went to a very well know podiatrist in Double Bay and they said I needed to start from scratch. A new set made but it wasn't very helpful. After going back over 5 time to have adjustments I threw the new pair away. Overall it cost me $1000 and worst that that I was nowhere. My pain was getting worst, had to give up running. My ankle was swollen and so I thought I'll just get my old pair recovered again.

I found Vertical had moved and gave Neil my old orthotics. Neil said he had this new system that takes all the guess work out of making Orthotics and that if I went to 5 different podiatrist with his new machine, I would get the same orthotic from each of them. I thought this was the best thing ever. Why it's so obvious this is the way it should be done why did it take someone so long to think of it. Like making the wheel round, not square and then adjusting it until it works.

Neil made a pair of orthotics that worked THE FIRST TIME. He also discovered my right leg was 6mm shorter than the other. It's unbelievable that I've been to so many 'professionals' and nobody picked that up before. Since then I've taken both my sons to Neil and asked him make orthotics for them.

Flat feet run in the family. One son was having problems playing basketball and couldn't jump without it hurting, no problems now. He's playing rep basketball now, couldn't even run much before Neil.I can't say enough about how good Neil's system works. I just don't understand why it isn't the standard in the industry. I reckon he should be up for a Nobel prize or something like that.

Sincerely

Allen Sobel 



TESTIMONIAL 15

Dear Neil, Gavin and Heidi,
 
For many years now I have struggled to get out of bed each morning, not because I was tired and wanted more sleep but because I was afraid of how I would feel when my feet touched the floor.  The pain and tightness in my hip flexors and the way I hobbled around on sore feet made me dread getting up each day.  I also avoided exercise because it was just all too hard – my feet, my knees, my hips all hurt.
 
I tried everything.  Regular stretching, sleeping with my legs up, down or supported by a pillow, even sleeping sitting up, but nothing really made much difference.  I still felt terrible in the morning and found it difficult to coax myself out of bed.
 
A few different people suggested to me that my feet might be causing me some trouble.  After much delaying I decided to see what I could do.  I was skeptical before my appointment with you – how could looking at my feet change much at all? How wrong I was!
 
Your initial assessment of my feet was amusing but accurate.  You were able to describe many of my problems before I told you about them, and seemed to think things could change.
 
I have now been wearing the orthotics you made for me for about a month.  The difference is amazing.  I can now put my feet on the ground without fear of pain searing across my hips.  I can stand for prolonged periods or walk too far without having to pay for it the next day.  I can bound out of bed instead of gingerly struggling to get up.
 
I would just like to thank you for the huge difference you and your orthotics have made to my life and recommend your services to others.
  
Many thanks,  
 
Peter Brown
RUSSELL LEA  NSW


TESTIMONIAL 16

Deon Birtwistle, Elite light weight rower .

Sport: Rowing. Gold medalists, Under 23 W/Champs 2002. Silver medalist, W/Champs 2003. Stroke of the Tas. Henley Eight 2005.

WHAT THEY FELT LIKE AT FIRST:
- Comfortable and strong. They seemed to fit the entire sole of my foot and make it feel secure.
- They felt like they were directing my foot to the ground without fatigue or compromise to their support.
- From the first step I felt confident to move around and be as agile as required, weather road running or walking up and down stair cases.
- I felt that they fit all my shoes well and absorbed more shock felt through the shoe than any regular inner sole.
- Very reliable and subtle ? easy to forget they were in the shoe.

NOTICEABLE IMPROVEMENTS SO FAR:
- Immediately felt as though my whole foot was in contact with the ground.
- The pressure on the bottom of my feet felt equal rather than all applied to the outer edges of my soles.
- My ankles stopped feeling stretched and sore.
- My shins and the fronts of my knees stopped feeling over strained.
- Less general fatigue and tiredness. No more aching legs and head or lethargic feeling from a long working day.

POSITIVE DIFFERENCES THEY HAVE MADE:
- Has definitely allowed my legs to perform more efficiently and feel as though my inner leg muscles are working better and getting stronger.
- Using the orthotics in training has been no problem. I use them for running, rowing & weights training. They cope well with the load and friction that I place on them.
- For rowing, they have given me more control over my leg movements in the boat and allow me to reach a stronger leg and torso position whilst rowing.
- I definitely use less energy during training and have more concentration when using the orthotics.

CARE & MAINTENANCE:
- Easy to clean.
- Quite resistant to sweat and dirt.
- Easy to fit to each shoe.