Van Buren Physical Therapy

Dr. Tamra Brown at Van Buren Physical Therapy specializes in manual therapy, sports rehabilitation, kinesiotaping, whole body vibration, traction, hands-on therapy, modalities, and therapeutic dry needling for sports injuries as well as rehab from everyday stress and strains.

She truly enjoys what she does, and has a passion for helping people achieve wellness, which in turn, allows them to continue doing the things they love. As an athlete herself, she understands the human body and knows what it takes to bring it into alignment & wholeness.

In 2006, Tamra received her Bachelor’s Degree in Science from St. Gregory’s University in Shawnee, Oklahoma. In 2010, she received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Langston University.

Finally, in 2013, she opened Van Buren Physical Therapy, where she embarked on her dream of offering high-quality care to the community and surrounding areas. She currently resides in Van Buren with her husband, J.B. and her 2 sons, Jalen & Jarren.

Hunter is a 2016 graduate of the Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Carl Albert State College, where he also earned an Associate's Degree in Applied Science.

He enjoys sports & outdoor activities and was a member of the Phi Theta Kappa (National Honor Society) during his college years. He resides in Fort Smith with his wife Jettie, son Jett, and daughters Luna and Isla. We are proud to have him on our team!

Crystal graduated the Physical Therapist Assistant program in 2022 from Arkansas Tech University - Ozark Campus with her Associates in Applied Sciences. She enjoys riding her horses and being outdoors as well as spending time with her husband Aaron, son Connor,  and daughters Harper and Noodles ! We are excited to have her as part of our team!

Manual therapy is concerned with normalizing arthrokinematics, or specific motions that take place between joint surfaces that allow for normal joint mobility. PTs seek the answers to questions such as: Why can’t this patient bend his/her knee? What specific joint movements or soft tissue restrictions are present?

It is used to relieve pain, improve circulation, decrease swelling, reduce muscle spasms, and deliver medication, in conjunction with other procedures. Typical types of modalities include electrical muscle stimulation, ultrasound, heat, ice and traction.

Kinesiotaping provides support and stability to muscles and joints, without restricting the body’s range of motion. It also provides extended soft tissue manipulation to prolong the benefits of manual therapy.

Latex-free and wearable for days at a time, kinesiology tape is safe for everyone from kids to senior adults, successfully treating a variety of orthopedic, neuromuscular, neurological and other medical conditions.

Kinesiotaping can be used in conjunction with a multitude of other treatments and modalities, and is effective during the rehabilitative and chronic phases on an injury, as well as being used for preventative measures.

The vibration tricks the body into thinking you're falling. In turn, this activates a “stress reflex,” which is an extremely rapid muscle contraction. These muscle contractions are responsible for most of the benefits attributed to this type of exercise.

Benefits include increased circulation, muscle strength, and flexibility; better range of motion; core conditioning and stability; and faster muscle recovery after working out. Health benefits also include enhanced metabolism, increased bone mineral density, reduction of the stress hormone cortisol, elevation of human growth hormone levels, and improved lymphatic flow.

 There is no injectable solution, and typically the needle that is used is very thin. Most patients will not even feel the needle penetrate the skin. Usually, a healthy muscle feels very little discomfort upon insertion of the needle. However, if the muscle is sensitive or contains active trigger points, a sensation much like a muscle cramp may occur (also called a “twitch response”).

The twitch response also has a biochemical characteristic to it, which likely affects the reaction of the muscle, symptoms and response of the tissue. The patient may only feel the cramping sensation locally, or they may feel a referral of pain or similar symptoms for which they are seeking treatment.

A reproduction of their pain can be a helpful diagnostic indicator of the cause of the symptoms. Patients soon learn to recognize and even welcome this sensation, as it results in deactivating the trigger point, reducing pain and restoring normal length and function of the involved muscle.

Typically, positive results appear within 2-4 treatment sessions, but can vary depending on the cause and duration of the symptoms and overall health of the patient.

Dry needling is an effective treatment for acute/chronic pain, rehabilitation from injury, and even pain/injury prevention with very few side effects. This technique is unequaled in finding and eliminating neuromuscular dysfunction that leads to pain and functional deficits.

The use of Blood Flow Restriction Therapy (BFR) has allowed us to offer an alternative way to strengthen weak muscles without the stress to joints that traditional exercise requires.

Once your individual LOP is established, the actual treatment can begin. Your Personal Tourniquet Pressure (PTP) is established by restricting 80% of blood flow to the leg or 50% to the arm. Every patient is different and it can fluctuate from week to week, so it is monitored on a regular basis.

By restricting blood flow to a limb, the muscles aren’t required to work as hard in order to strengthen. With the use of BFR, patients who used to be limited by the body’s natural healing process can start strengthening earlier. Earlier strengthening equals a faster recovery. A faster recovery means patients getting back to doing the things they love to do!

Today, physical therapists provide services that help restore function, improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or limit permanent physical disabilities.

During the physical examination, we will look at strength, flexibility, and other special tests to determine the cause of your pain.  We will educate you on our findings and usually give you some instructions or exercises to start working on at home.  We usually have time for some treatment at the end as well.

Exercises, stretches, modalities (electrical stimulation, ultrasound, heat, or ice), joint mobilization, and soft/deep tissue work as appropriate.  We will also regularly assess goals and re-evaluate strength, flexibility, range of motion, etc.

Its no wonder they were nominated best of the best in the River Valley - this place is awesome. VBPT has friendly staff, knowledgeable therapists, clean/individual  rooms for privacy, and not to mention it always smells so good! I would recommend VBPT to anyone, even if they aren't in Van Buren. 

Staff members are professional and courteous to the clients, and the facility is clean and well maintained. The high level of customer service and individualized care really sets them apart from other facilities. It was easy to give them a five star rating.

Highly recommend to anyone needing physical therapy. Studied my condition and provided individualized treatment. I felt that I received personal attention. I also liked the office environment.

I had been going to Fort Smith for years and decided to see Tamra because I had heard wonderful things (and she was close which was a plus). I will go to her for everything now. A+ in my opinion. Thank you again Mrs. Tamra.

Tamra helped me regain function after a car accident. She did everything. We even got into the heated pool which was so nice. She showed me exercises I can do after therapy on my own time that were easy to understand. I definitely owe her for everything!