Alignment First

When it comes to solving chronic pain, Geoff Dakin doesn’t just think outside the box—he rebuilds the box entirely.

As the founder of Alignment First Inc. and the creator of the Alignment First Protocol (AFP), Dakin has spent over 30 years developing a corrective exercise system that addresses what conventional therapy models often overlook: how the body organizes itself against gravity. His clients range from everyday back pain sufferers to elite athletes, and his influence stretches from Calgary to clinics and living rooms around the globe.

While most treatment plans focus on strengthening weak muscles or stretching tight ones, Dakin starts with a different question: is the body aligned well enough to function properly in the first place?

“Alignment is often seen as old-school in today’s rehab world,” Dakin says. “But in our rush to be innovators, we’ve skipped the fundamentals. The last time I checked, the laws of physics still apply to the human body—and when we ignore them, we pay in wear, tear, and dysfunction.”

The Alignment First Protocol is his answer to that oversight: a strategic sequence of movements and poses that work together to gently straighten and stabilize the body. It doesn’t chase symptoms—it corrects structure. The results speak for themselves: many patients report measurable relief within days, and lasting change in weeks. Just as important, the system teaches and empowers people to care for themselves without relying on endless appointments or temporary fixes.

Dakin’s work doesn’t stop at individual recovery. He’s actively building bridges between disciplines—chiropractic, dentistry, massage therapy, and beyond. His Teeth to Toes seminar series and forthcoming book co-authored with Dr. Curtis Westersund and Dr. Jeff Scholten explore how issues like jaw dysfunction, foot posture, and pelvic misalignment are all connected in the neuromuscular web.

“Most of our patients have seen everyone—physios, surgeons, dentists, trainers. Sometimes they get relief. Rarely do they get resolution,” says Dakin. “We’re usually the last stop. When we view the body through a structural lens, the whole picture finally makes sense.”

This whole-body systems approach has made Dakin’s work a magnet for both patients and professionals. His Practical Rehab training program is equipping the next generation of therapists to think differently, building practices that are not only more effective, but also more sustainable and rewarding.

Whether you’re a chronic pain sufferer looking for answers, or a healthcare professional ready to elevate your impact, one thing is clear: Geoff Dakin and Alignment First Inc. are helping to rewrite the future of rehab—by getting back to the basics that never stopped mattering.

Photography by Graham Mckerrell

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Alignment First

119-8989 Macleod Trail SW
Calgary, AB T2H OM2

403-719-9192

Website: alignmentfirst.ca | Facebook: alignmentfirst | Instagram: alignmentfirstinc

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