Baptist Health Therapy Center-Otter Creek

Is your child ready for school? Make sure they're protected with back-to-school immunizations from Baptist Health! is offering FREE immunizations at nine convenient locations in Little Rock, North Little Rock, Sherwood and Jacksonville from Aug. 3 to 19.

For more information, call (501) 202-1540. Ensure a safe and successful school year with Baptist Health!

Baptist Health Schedules Free Immunization Clinics Across Central Arkansas LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – As the new school year quickly approaches and many parents with young children are already thinking of back-to-school supplies, it’s also important to not forget about […]

Welcome aboard, Dr. Meryem Maras-Casey!

Baptist Health Family Clinic-Salem Road Welcomes Meryem Maras-Casey, MD CONWAY, Ark. – Meryem Maras-Casey, MD, recently joined Baptist Health Family Clinic-Salem Road’s team of providers. Dr. Maras-Casey, a native of Istanbul, received her education at Carol Davila University of […]

Congratulations to Kate Pitman on been awarded with a
Pitman was nominated by the following: "Kate is an exceptional member of our team in ICU South! She has stepped up to serve as a great leader in South and strives to create a healthy learning environment for our many new graduate nurses. Kate always advocates for her patients in the best way and is a great communicator. She always acts in the patient's best interest no matter the situation. Very grateful for her over in South!"

Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock, in conjunction with the Baptist Health Neuroscience Center, invites nurses, EMTs, physicians, advanced practice providers and healthcare professionals to participate in the 2nd Annual Baptist Health Neuroscience Symposium on Friday, October 4, 2024. The Symposium will be offered as a HYBRID event: both onsite and virtual. Sign-up today: bit.ly/3VYiTp6

Ellen Templeton, an access nurse in our command center, was recently recognized with a Baptist Health Besty Award! Ellen truly embodies the mission and values of Baptist Health. She is a very appreciated by her team and all of us at Baptist Health.

Calling All Cyclists and Runners! 🚴 🏃‍♂️
Baptist Health has partnered with Agile Sportswear to offer branded cycling and running apparel. Our online storefront is live and open to Baptist Health employees and families. Online orders can be made over the next two weeks.
VISIT https://bit.ly/3sb4I1B

Parfaits are something everyone can enjoy. Foods rich in Omega-3s, like this recipe, are especially good for expecting mothers. Find more recipes on our blog baptist-health.com/bhealthy/.

🎉 We're celebrating a milestone! Our team at Baptist Health Medical Center - Drew County recently made their first donation to the UAMS Milk Lab—57 bags of milk! We're thrilled to collaborate with UAMS and establish a milk bank in Southeast Arkansas. The milk bank is situated in the Olivia Faith Beebe Nursery at Baptist Health Medical Center—Drew County; we are committed to providing specially processed donated milk to support infants in our state.

Baptist Health is proud to partner with UAMS to serve as drop-off locations for breast milk donations. Here are our locations:

*Baptist Health Medical Center-Conway
*Baptist Health Expressly for You-Fort Smith
*Baptist Health Medical Center-Stuttgart

UAMS - University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Sharon Minden was nominated for a Baptist Health Besty Award for the care and support she provided to a Baptist Health Rehabilitation Institute patient and their family.

"I never felt rushed and felt like she was doing everything on her end to make the transition easier and help me understand how to best coordinate the various aspects of the care team once my mother started rehab."

Minority communities often confront cultural stigmas that hinder them from receiving proper mental health care. Check out the link below for more information. https://bit.ly/3XGCJVE

Join us in welcoming Mudassar Kamran, MD, MSc, DPhil (Oxon) to Baptist Health Neurosurgery Arkansas. Learn more about Dr. Kamran.

Mudassar Kamran, MD, Joins Baptist Health Neurosurgery Arkansas LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Mudassar Kamran, MD, MSc, DPhil (Oxon) has joined the team at Baptist Health Neurosurgery Arkansas. Dr. Kamran received his medical degree from King Edward Medical College, […]

Don't miss KARK tomorrow night at 5 p.m. to hear an amazing story of perseverance, recovery, and faith at Baptist Health Rehabilitation Institute.

Baptist Health Rehabilitation Institute can diagnose a wide variety of speech, language and swallowing disorders.

Our speech language pathologists use devices like this to help improve and restore the quality of their muscles.

This is just one example of how the teams at Baptist Health RehabiIitation Institute locations in Little Rock, North Little Rock and Conway work to get you back to doing the things you love.

🇺🇸 4th of July Parade at Parkway Village 🇺🇸

Every year the residents get creative and decorate their golf carts for a festive parade throughout the Village. Residents, employees, and families all joined in on the fun.

Pregnancy cravings are a thing! If you're expecting, find out why you may be craving certain foods during your pregnancy and what you can add to your diet to keep both you and baby healthy.

Key Nutrients Every Pregnant Woman Should Add to Her Diet Cravings during pregnancy may be your body's way of telling you what it needs to keep you and baby healthy. Try these recipes.

Have you created a safe sleep environment for your baby? Here's what is recommended. Learn more at our blog https://bit.ly/49YU8yB

Baptist Health shoulder specialist Dr. Michael Bogatch explains how there's no excuse to live with shoulder pain. Watch KARK Wednesday morning and at 5 p.m. to see how Dr. Bogatch is changing lives with the help of shoulder surgery.

We're thrilled to welcome Nathan Lusinger and Lynette Finley to the Baptist Health PACE team! They're joining us as our new marketing coordinators, and we're really looking forward to seeing the awesome work they'll achieve.

Congratulations to Baptist Health Family Clinic-Sheridan on yesterday's grand opening and ribbon-cutting event. Our clinic is located at 21 Opportunity Drive in Sheridan, and our team is excited to continue serving the community in this area.

Parkway Village offers senior living at its best!

From a fitness center and indoor pool to a full-service salon and market, Parkway Village provides for all of its residents' needs. Learn more about independent and assisted living options, as well as our nursing care, memory care and rehabilitative services at ParkwayVillageAR.com.

Spinal stenosis refers to the narrowing of space within the spinal canal. The most common cause for spinal stenosis includes degenerative changes of the lumbar spine that take place with age, although trauma and fractures can also be involved. This narrowing can cause compression on either the spinal cord or nerve roots and result in various symptoms. Along with low back pain, patients will likely report decreased strength and altered sensation down either one of both legs. Symptoms are often made worse with prolonged standing, walking, or lying flat, and often feel better with sitting and bending forward. Physical therapy is a critical first step in conservative care when dealing with spinal stenosis. Treatment will include increases to strength, flexibility, and core stability. If surgery is warranted, physical therapy can also play a crucial role in return to function and maximizing independence following the procedure. If you recognize and relate to this spinal stenosis description, contact your local Baptist Therapy Center for guidance!

The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles that act as stabilizers for the shoulder joint. A tear in the rotator cuff can be a result of a traumatic injury such as a fall or as a result of repetitive movements, like throwing or lifting, or gradually over time due to overuse or anatomic abnormalities. There are two types of rotator cuff tears, a partial thickness tear and full thickness tear. A full thickness tear is when the tear extends through the length or width of the whole tendon. This type of tear typically requires surgery to repair the rotator cuff. A physical therapist is an integral part of the recovery process after surgery. The therapist uses their expertise of healing times and appropriate progression to develop a treatment plan to restore range of motion, decrease pain, increase strength, and restore functional ability. If you have had a rotator cuff repair or are planning to have one, contact your local Baptist Therapy Center to see how we can help you!

A total hip replacement, also known as a total hip arthroplasty (THA), is a surgical procedure in which damaged bone and cartilage is removed from the hip and replaced with prosthetic components. A patient most often undergoes a THA due to severe and progressive osteoarthritis, although trauma and avascular necrosis are common reasons as well. Once the replacement has been decided on and completed, the orthopedic surgeon will likely request for physical therapy to begin soon after. Immediately following surgery, physical therapy emphasis will include decreasing swelling, safe transfers and ambulation, and adherence to post-surgical precautions. As healing progresses, more advanced mobility and strengthening can take place. The THA can be a highly successful surgery, and patients who undergo the surgery can expect a safe return to walking, biking, and other low impact activities. If you have had a total hip replacement, or have plans to have one done soon, consider Baptist Health for your outpatient physical therapy services!

The piriformis muscle is a thick, flat muscle that is located in the buttocks area. When the piriformis muscle spasms, it is called piriformis syndrome and it can produce pain in the buttocks and low back on the same side. A spasm in the piriformis can also cause irritation or compression of the sciatic nerve. When this occurs, you can experience pain, tingling, and numbness that radiates from the buttock and down the leg. Common causes of piriformis syndrome are inflammation, tightness, muscle spasm, or traumatic injury. Physical therapists can provide a detailed assessment and treatment plan that may include stretching, strengthening, range of motion activities, and manual therapy techniques to resolve dysfunction related to piriformis syndrome. If pain is limiting you from being able to do the things you enjoy, contact your doctor to see if physical therapy can help you get back on your feet!

Thoracic outlet syndrome, also known as TOS, is when there is compression of the bundle of nerves, veins, and arteries that run between the first rib and the collar bone. This compression can be caused by a trauma to the area, repetitive use injury, chronic abnormal posture or abnormal anatomy. Symptoms can vary depending on which structures are being compressed. There are four types of TOS.

Category 1: Arterial TOS symptoms include pain in the hand but not in shoulder or neck, coldness or cold intolerance, numbness and tingling, and symptoms worsen when the involved arm and hand is over the head.

Category 2: Venous TOS symptoms include pain and swelling in the arm, bluish discoloration of the arm, tingling and numbness in fingers and hands, and symptoms are worse when the involved arm and hand is over the head.

Category 3: Ture neurogenic TOS symptoms include pain, numbness, and tingling in the hand, arm, shoulder, and often the neck, headaches, numbness and tingling in the arm that disturbs sleep, clumsiness of the hand, coldness and color changes in the hand, and symptoms wore when the involved arm is over the head.



Category 4: Disputed neurogenic TOS has the same symptoms as a true neurogenic TOS, however testing may come back as normal.

Doppler testing and nerve conduction testing are common tests performed to diagnose TOS. However, your physical therapist may be the first to determine that you have TOS. Therapists use the patient’s history of injury, special tests, and assessment of function to determine if you have TOS. Based on this assessment a physical therapist can provide education, symptom relief through manual therapy and exercises, and restore function through strengthening and functional activities. If you are experiencing these symptoms, talk to your doctor about how one of our Baptist Health Therapy centers can help you!

The Achilles Tendon is the strongest and largest tendon in the human body. The tendon is most forcefully stressed with jumping and cutting movements, such as with the footwork involved in football, basketball, and softball. Contributing factors to an Achilles tendon rupture include poor stretching, rapid increases in exercise intensity, and improper shoe wear. Age can also play a role in the likelihood of tendon rupture with research showing that those that are above the age of 30 have lower blood flow to the Achilles and, consequently, increased tendon breakdown. Once the diagnosis of an Achilles rupture has been confirmed, a patient and physician may decide whether surgery is indicated or not. Regardless of that choice, a patient will require a cast or brace for 6-10 weeks to allow for sufficient tendon healing. Physical therapy should begin promptly. Patients can expect interventions including range of motion, stretching, gait training, strengthening, and modalities. Those who have undergone the surgery can expect a return to function within 6 to 7 months of initiating physical therapy. If you have undergone a recent Achilles tendon repair, or if you want to address a tight achilles, contact your physician to see how your local Baptist physical therapy center can assist you!

Patellofemoral syndrome, also known as “runner’s knee”, is a diagnosis used to describe pain at the anterior knee joint. This injury occurs when the patella tracks abnormally between the femur and tibia bones. The condition is often experienced by young adults involved with sports and is correlated with increased activity levels. Activities that typically worsen pain include stair climbing and jumping; also, prolonged knee bending, such as sitting in a car for long drives, can flare symptoms. Physical therapists frequently help diagnose and treat patellofemoral syndrome. Early management will likely include controlling swelling and pain, with emphasis on ROM, stretching, and quadriceps activation. An important component of rehab will include strengthening the muscles that stabilize the kneecap; this is especially important to help facilitate proper patellar tracking. If you think you are dealing with patellofemoral syndrome, contact your doctor for a referral to your local Baptist therapy center!

Dry needling is the use of a thin needle that does not contain any medication, and is inserted into a patient to treat muscle and connective tissue disorders that are causing both musculoskeletal and neuromuscular pain. This pain may often lead to movement dysfunctions and limit a person’s ability to perform activities due to pain. One of the most common uses for dry needling is to treat trigger points. A trigger point is a local band of tight, irritable and dysfunctional muscle tissue. Trigger points often develop because of injury, overuse or poor movement patterns.The needle is inserted into the trigger point in an effort to decrease the tension of the trigger point, increase blood flow to the area, decrease pain and improve function of the muscle and surrounding tissues. One or more needles may be used during a treatment and treatment may last from under a minute to 20 minutes or more and may be paired with electrical stimulation depending on the goals of the treatment. Dry needling is most often used as part of a treatment plan that may also include manual therapy and exercise in order for patients to achieve the best outcomes. If you are experiencing muscle, tendon or ligament pain, talk to your doctor to see if physical therapy and dry needling may be the treatment you need.

It is estimated that nearly 80% of the population will experience low back pain during their lifetime. Low back pain is typically defined as pain that occurs in the area from the just below the ribs to the buttocks. Pain can be localized to one side or cover a broad area. In some cases low back pain can cause symptoms into one or both legs. Symptoms can include pain, stiffness, and muscle spasms. Low back pain can be caused by arthritis, a disc issue, and other musculoskeletal conditions. A sedentary lifestyle, occupations that require repeated bending and lifting, and general poor health can increase the likelihood of having low back pain. Physical therapists are trained to assess and treat low back pain. A therapist will perform an evaluation and develop a treatment plan that may include exercise, stretching, and manual activities to reduce pain, increase motion and restore normal function. If you have been dealing with low back pain and are ready to get back to your normal activities, therapy may be right for you!

Nearly 30% of the US population will experience neck pain each year, with adults age 30-50 being most likely to report neck pain. Neck pain is commonly felt in the back and sides of the neck and pain can extend into the upper back and the shoulders. Symptoms commonly include stiffness, difficulty turning the head from side to side, difficulty looking up and muscle spasms. Risk factors for neck pain include poor posture, repetitive movements such as lifting, prolonged computer use, injury due to sports and motor vehicle accidents. Physical therapists can play an integral role in helping people recover from neck pain and return their previous level of function. A therapist will perform an evaluation to determine the cause of your neck pain and develop an individualized treatment plan to help alleviate symptoms. Treatment may include stretching, range of motion activities, manual treatment, and strengthening activities. If you have been suffering with neck pain, talk to your doctor and see if therapy may be the right choice for you!