ONS Spotlight on Physiatrist Dr. Tamar Kessel

Get to know Fellowship trained Physiatrist Dr. Tamar Kessel and learn what drives her personal approach to her practice. Dr. Kessel, specializes in non-operative treatments of musculoskeletal injuries such as PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma), viscosupplementation, and steroidal medications.

What is your philosophy to your practice?

I take a holistic approach to assessing and evaluating the needs of my patients. I focus on improving their quality of life through non-operative treatments. My treatment approach is focused on the entire body, rather than on one specific body part.  I take a conservative approach to treating pain. Sometimes simple changes in ergonomics can make a huge impact on someone’s quality of life. I use all the non-operative treatment options to try and keep people as active and pain free as possible. Some of the conservative treatment options include physical therapy, medications, and injections. The goal is to keep people pain free and moving comfortable.

Outside of your work, what are your personal interests?

I enjoy working out and playing with my kids. Growing up I played lots of sports including soccer, basketball, and martial arts. I now keep active at the gym and chasing my 3 very active young children.

What made you chose to become a physiatrist?

In my first year at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, I was sent to the physiatry floor to learn how to take a patient history and administer a basic physical exam. I had never heard of the physiatry field. I really liked their approach to patient care. Their holistic method of evaluating the patient rather than focusing on one body part or one problem made great sense to me. You can say I got lucky in being exposed to such a wonderful field.

What trends in your specialty area do you see emerging?

Regenerative medicine is a very rapidly developing field of medicine. Using the body’s own natural healing process to treat injuries and degenerative conditions is a huge advancement in the physiatry world. Currently I administer PRP, Platelet Rich Plasma and Amniotic cells for a variety of conditions, and these treatments work very well for some patients.  It is exciting to see the potential of these kinds of treatments. I think we will be hearing and seeing a lot more about this area of medicine in the years to come.

How do you stay current in your field?

I stay up to date by constantly reading the medical literature and attending different medical conferences and courses. I look forward to attending live conferences again now that the COVID-19 pandemic is hopefully ending.