Farida Cajee-Botes Orthotist & Prosthetist

Custom Orthotics in Sandton

Supporting, aligning, and improving function for lasting independence

What is it?

Orthotics are externally applied medical devices designed to support, align, or improve the function of joints, muscles, and limbs affected by injury, neurological conditions, developmental delay, or musculoskeletal disorders.

How can it help?

  • Improving walking pattern and posture
  • Supporting weak or unstable joints
  • Reducing pain during movement
  • Preventing or slowing deformity progression
  • Supporting neurological rehabilitation
  • Improving balance and safety
  • Assisting developmental milestones in children

Devices We Provide

A selection of the devices we fit within this service. Filter by area of the body to find what fits your needs. The right device is always confirmed after an individual assessment.

Ankle & FootCustom Ankle-Foot Orthosis (AFO)

Custom Ankle-Foot Orthosis (AFO)

For drop foot, ankle instability or lower-leg weakness needing individually moulded lower-leg support.

A custom ankle-foot orthosis is individually moulded from a cast or scan of the patient's limb to support the ankle and foot during standing and walking. It helps control alignment and offers stability where muscles are weakened, supporting a more efficient walking pattern. Rigid, semi-rigid or flexible designs are selected to match each patient's level of support.

  • Individually moulded to the patient's limb shape
  • Rigid, semi-rigid or flexible upright options
  • Can incorporate an articulating or fixed ankle joint
  • Custom trim lines and padding for comfort
Lower LimbCustom Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthosis (KAFO)

Custom Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthosis (KAFO)

For patients needing combined knee and ankle control when an ankle-level device alone is insufficient.

A custom knee-ankle-foot orthosis extends from the thigh to the foot and includes a knee joint to help control bending and straightening during standing and walking. It is built from a mould or scan of the individual limb to provide a supportive, precisely aligned fit. Knee joint mechanisms are selected according to each patient's stability and mobility needs.

  • Custom-moulded thigh-to-foot construction
  • Choice of locked, free-motion or stance-control knee joints
  • Supports body weight during standing and walking
  • Individually aligned to the patient's gait pattern
Lower LimbCustom Hip-Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthosis (HKAFO)

Custom Hip-Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthosis (HKAFO)

For patients whose instability extends to the hip and cannot be adequately managed by a knee-ankle-foot orthosis alone.

A custom hip-knee-ankle-foot orthosis is a full-length lower-limb brace extending from the pelvis to the foot, with an added hip joint to help manage leg rotation and positioning. It is used where standing and walking stability cannot be achieved with a shorter device. Each device is individually fabricated and aligned to the patient's gait.

  • Full-length custom fabrication from pelvis to foot
  • Hip joint helps control flexion, extension and rotation
  • Combined with knee and ankle joint components
  • Often paired with a pelvic band for added trunk control
Ankle & FootCustom-Moulded Foot Orthotics (Insoles)

Custom-Moulded Foot Orthotics (Insoles)

For foot pain, deformity or abnormal loading patterns needing an insole shaped precisely to the individual foot.

Every insole we provide is custom-made following an individual assessment. Prefabricated insoles are not stocked. Each custom foot orthosis is individually moulded from a cast, foam impression or 3D scan of the patient's foot to help redistribute pressure and support the foot's natural alignment, built to the person's specific foot shape and prescribed correction, then fitted inside their own or recommended footwear.

  • Individually moulded from a cast, impression or scan
  • Helps redistribute plantar pressure to reduce localised strain
  • Can incorporate posting or wedging for alignment support
  • Available in a range of density materials for different needs
Spine & BackCustom Scoliosis Brace

Custom Scoliosis Brace

For children and adolescents with a progressive spinal curve who may benefit from bracing during growth.

A custom scoliosis brace is an individually moulded rigid orthosis designed to apply corrective forces to the trunk to help manage curve progression during periods of growth. It is fabricated from a cast or scan of the patient's torso and requires regular review and adjustment as the child grows.

  • Custom-moulded from an individual cast or scan
  • Applies targeted corrective pressure points
  • Designed for extended daily wear as prescribed
  • Periodically adjusted or refabricated during growth
Spine & BackCustom Moulded Bennett Brace

Custom Moulded Bennett Brace

For patients needing firm, custom-made lower-back and thoracolumbar support with a comfortable fabric front.

A Bennett brace is a custom-made spinal orthosis combining a rigid, individually moulded posterior frame (a pelvic band and thoracic band joined by paraspinal supports) with a strong fabric corset front that closes with wide adjustable straps. Moulded from a cast or scan of the patient's torso, it supports the spine and limits bending while remaining lower-profile and more breathable than a full rigid body jacket.

  • Custom-made from a cast or scan of the torso
  • Rigid posterior frame with a comfortable fabric corset front
  • Wide adjustable front straps for a secure fit
  • Lower-profile and more breathable than a full body jacket
HeadCranial Remoulding Helmet

Cranial Remoulding Helmet

For infants with asymmetrical or flattened head shape who may benefit from gentle guided reshaping during a period of rapid skull growth.

A cranial remoulding helmet is a lightweight custom helmet, moulded from a 3D scan of the infant's head, that applies gentle, evenly distributed contact to help guide skull growth into a more symmetrical shape over time. It is worn for most of the day during a defined treatment period and adjusted as the head grows.

  • Custom-moulded from a 3D head scan
  • Lightweight, ventilated shell with soft inner lining
  • Applies gentle, passive guidance rather than active pressure
  • Requires periodic review and adjustment as the head grows
Wrist & HandCustom Resting Hand/Wrist Orthosis

Custom Resting Hand/Wrist Orthosis

For patients needing the hand or wrist held in a specific individually moulded position, typically overnight or during rest.

A resting hand or wrist orthosis is individually moulded to hold the hand and wrist in a set position, most often to help prevent contracture or protect healing tissue. It is custom-shaped for a precise, comfortable fit and is usually worn overnight or during periods of rest.

  • Individually moulded from a cast or thermoplastic sheet
  • Holds the wrist and fingers in a defined resting position
  • Padded for comfortable extended contact
  • Adjusted as swelling or muscle tone changes

Our Clinical Approach

Every orthotic prescription begins with comprehensive assessment, understanding your functional goals, home environment, and real-life mobility demands. We design devices that support independence and integrate seamlessly into your daily routine.

Related reading

  • Are Custom Orthotics Worth It?

    The honest, evidence-based answer is: it depends on why your feet hurt. Here's when a pharmacy insole is genuinely enough, and when a clinician-assessed custom orthosis is worth the extra cost.

  • How Much Do Custom Orthotics Cost in South Africa?

    There's no single national price list for custom orthotics in South Africa. Pricing is built around your assessment, casting method and materials. Here's what actually drives the cost, and how medical aid funding for orthotic insoles usually works.

  • Child Walking on Toes: When Should You Worry?

    Toe walking, bow legs, knock knees and flat feet each have a normal age window, and most children grow out of them with no device at all. Here is what is developmentally normal, what genuinely warrants assessment, and what treatment involves when it is actually needed.

Ready to get started?

Contact us to book an assessment or discuss your needs

Common questions

Custom Orthotics in Sandton: your questions answered

How much do custom orthotics cost, and will my medical aid pay?

Cost depends entirely on the device, so we quote in writing before anything is made or ordered: a pair of moulded insoles and a custom spinal brace are not comparable jobs. Most South African medical schemes contribute towards orthotic devices from an appliance or external medical items benefit, usually with a prescription or motivation from your doctor. What comes back varies considerably between schemes and between plans on the same scheme, so no one can give you a figure without looking at your specific plan. We supply the clinical motivation and coding your scheme asks for, and confirm your cover before anything is manufactured.

Can I just buy insoles from Clicks or Dis-Chem instead of having them made?

For ordinary heel pain in an adult, often yes, and we will say so. A 2019 review of the evidence found no difference between custom-made and prefabricated foot orthoses for pain or function in adults with plantar heel pain at six weeks, twelve weeks or twelve months, and suggested clinicians consider a well-contoured shelf insole because it costs less. Try the pharmacy pair first. Custom insoles earn their cost when a shelf shape cannot fit the foot: a rigid deformity, a diabetic foot at risk of ulceration, a genuine leg length difference, or a neurological or post-surgical foot.

My child has flat feet. Do they need arch supports?

Almost certainly not. NHS guidance is that most children have flat feet when they are young and usually develop arches on the inner side of the foot between three and ten years of age, and that insoles will not change the shape of a foot, though they can help with pain or stiffness. So we treat symptoms, not the look of an arch. Have the feet checked if they are painful, stiff, weak or numb, if only one foot is affected, if your child is struggling with walking or balance, or if the flat foot is new. Otherwise let them run.

My child walks on their tiptoes. Do they need a splint?

Usually not, and not as the first step. Idiopathic toe walking is seen in around one in twenty toddlers and usually resolves without treatment by the age of five to ten, and the first line of management is a home stretching programme for the calf muscles, with serial casting if the calf is genuinely tight. Get it assessed sooner if the toe walking is on one leg only, if your child cannot get the heels down when asked, if there is pain or frequent falling, or if there was prematurity, speech delay or a family history.

My foot drags since my stroke. Will an ankle brace or AFO help?

An ankle foot orthosis, the moulded brace that holds the foot up so the toes clear the ground as the leg swings through, can help, but only as part of a rehabilitation programme. The UK's NICE guideline on stroke rehabilitation in adults says assessment for and treatment with ankle foot orthoses should be carried out as part of a stroke rehabilitation programme and performed by qualified professionals, that your ability to put the brace on must be assessed, and that its effectiveness is judged on comfort and on the speed and ease of walking. If it does not make walking easier, it is the wrong device.

Will a back brace straighten my child's scoliosis?

No. A scoliosis brace is fitted to stop a curve getting worse while your child is still growing, not to straighten the spine. Bracing is generally considered for curves greater than about 25 degrees and less than about 40 to 45 degrees in a child who has not finished growing, while smaller curves are usually monitored with repeat X-rays. In the BrAIST trial, 72% of braced patients reached skeletal maturity without the curve reaching 50 degrees, against 48% of those observed, with the brace prescribed for at least 18 hours a day. Wear time is directly associated with the result, which is why the fit has to be liveable.

Do I need a referral from my doctor to see an orthotist?

You can book an assessment with us directly. A referral is not what gets you through the door, but it matters for two other reasons. Your medical aid will usually want a prescription or motivation from a doctor before it contributes towards a device, and for spinal bracing, post-operative devices and anything following surgery we work from the treating surgeon's prescription and report back to them. If you come without a referral and the assessment turns up something that needs a doctor first, we will tell you so, and tell you who to see.

Do you fit orthotics at home or in hospital?

Yes. Assessment, casting or scanning, fitting and review can all be done at the consulting rooms at Orthocast Morningside in Sandton, at your home, or at a hospital bedside across Johannesburg, Sandton, Midrand, Centurion and Pretoria. For orthotics a home visit is not just convenience: seeing the actual stairs, doorways, floor surfaces and shoes a device has to cope with changes what gets prescribed. The consulting rooms are by appointment only, so please phone 011 883 9100 for a rooms appointment, or 079 998 2203 to arrange a home visit.

Is this a private practice, and how does payment work?

Yes. Farida Cajee-Botes is a private orthotic and prosthetic practice, and we do not bill medical schemes directly. Accounts are settled in full at the time of your assessment or on collection of your device, and we give you a detailed invoice with the appropriate codes so you can submit the claim to your medical aid and be reimbursed directly by them. Where it helps your claim, we prepare the itemised quotation, clinical motivation and pre-authorisation paperwork before anything is ordered. What your scheme pays back depends on your plan and available benefits, and that decision rests with the scheme, so any amount they do not cover remains payable by you.