Dr. Seth Means, DC

Back and neck concerns are among the most common reasons patients seek chiropractic care.

Symptoms can arise in many different ways and may involve joints, muscles, discs, nerves or a combination of factors.

Dr. Seth works with patients experiencing concerns such as:

• Mechanical low back pain
• Neck pain and stiffness
• Disc-related symptoms
• Sciatica and lumbar radiculopathy
• Cervical radiculopathy
• Repetitive or postural strain
• Activity-related back or neck pain
• Recurring episodes of stiffness or discomfort

Assessment is used to determine which structures and contributing factors may be relevant before treatment recommendations are made.

Care may involve chiropractic manipulation or mobilization, soft tissue treatment, dry needling, mobility exercises, rehabilitation or other approaches depending on the individual.

Sport places unique demands on the body.

Whether you are dealing with an acute injury, an overuse problem, returning to activity after time away, or trying to address something that continually limits training, an appropriate assessment can help determine what may be contributing to the problem.

Dr. Seth has a particular interest in working with athletes and active individuals.

His own athletic background includes collegiate baseball at both the NJCAA Division I and NCAA Division I levels, and throughout his career he has worked with athletes ranging from professional competitors to recreational and everyday athletes.

Sports-focused care may involve assessment of:

• Joint mobility
• Muscle and tendon function
• Strength and movement
• Training demands
• Previous injuries
• Activity tolerance
• Technique or movement patterns when relevant
• Recovery and return-to-sport goals

Treatment may combine hands-on care with progressive rehabilitation depending on the individual presentation.

Chiropractic care at Reform is not limited to the spine.

Dr. Seth also has a strong interest in assessing and managing musculoskeletal concerns involving the shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, ankles and feet.

Common presentations may include:

• Rotator cuff-related shoulder pain
• Tendinopathies
• Tennis or golfer's elbow
• Hip and gluteal concerns
• Knee pain
• Plantar fasciitis and heel pain
• Muscle strains
• Joint sprains
• Sports and overuse injuries

The appropriate treatment depends on the condition.

For some patients, care may involve joint treatment and rehabilitation. Others may benefit from soft tissue therapy, dry needling, shockwave therapy, activity modification or a combination of approaches.

Dr. Seth also authored Reform’s guide to shoulder pain treatment in Red Deer, discussing how chiropractic care, dry needling and shockwave therapy may fit into an individualized treatment plan.

Dr. Seth has completed advanced postgraduate training in needling techniques, including Biomedical Dry Needling and Kinetacore Dry Needling.

Dry needling and intramuscular stimulation use fine, sterile needles to target selected muscles and areas of muscular sensitivity.

At Reform Health + Wellness, needling may be incorporated into care for concerns involving:

• Muscle tension
• Trigger points
• Sports and overuse injuries
• Neck and back pain
• Shoulder concerns
• Hip and gluteal pain
• Headaches associated with muscular tension
• Other musculoskeletal presentations when appropriate

Needling is only one treatment option and is not necessary for every patient.

Dr. Seth will explain the proposed technique, discuss alternatives and obtain consent before treatment.

Dr. Seth also provides shockwave therapy for appropriate musculoskeletal conditions.

Shockwave uses acoustic pressure waves applied to targeted tissues and may be considered as part of a treatment plan for selected persistent tendon and soft-tissue conditions.

At Reform, shockwave may be considered for presentations involving:

• Plantar fasciitis
• Achilles tendinopathy
• Patellar tendinopathy
• Tennis or golfer's elbow
• Selected rotator cuff and shoulder tendon concerns
• Other persistent tendon conditions when clinically appropriate

Shockwave is not automatically recommended simply because pain has been present for a long time.

Assessment helps determine whether it is appropriate and whether rehabilitation, manual care or another treatment approach should be considered instead. Reform’s dedicated shockwave page similarly emphasizes assessment and individualized treatment rather than using shockwave as a one-size-fits-all modality.

Dr. Seth’s treatment philosophy places a strong emphasis on improving movement and physical capacity, rather than relying solely on passive treatment.

Depending on the condition and goals, rehabilitation may include:

• Mobility exercises
• Strengthening
• Trunk and core control
• Movement retraining
• Progressive loading
• Sport-specific preparation
• Home exercise recommendations
• Return-to-activity planning

His postgraduate education includes training in Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS), McKenzie Method concepts, Mulligan Mobilization, Stuart McGill's back-fitness principles and other rehabilitation approaches.

The specific exercises and progression used depend on the individual patient rather than a standardized protocol.