Dr Carstens has a passion for working with persons with disabilities and she particularly enjoys improving the lives of patients with spinal cord injuries, chronic pain and wounds. She follows a holistic and patient-centred approach.

Dr Carstens qualified with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBCh) from the University of the Witwatersrand in 2016. She honed her skills at the Tshwane Rehabilitation Hospital in 2019 before she opened her practice in 2020.

Before pursuing her dream of studying medicine, Dr Carstens worked as a speech-language therapist for four years.

She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Communication Pathology from the University of Pretoria in 2008.

In 2011 she also earned a Master’s degree in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) from the same institution.

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What is a Physiatrist?

A Physiatrist is a medical specialist that focuses on improving functionality and quality of life of people with physical impairments or disabilities.

Physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) is the discipline that physiatrists practice.

PM&R represents a branch of medicine that focuses on the management of patients with medical conditions that affect the brain, spinal cord, nerves, muscles, ligaments, tendons and/or bones.

A physiatrist fulfils the following roles:

  • Treats persons of all ages.
  • Has a broad medical expertise that allows for management of various conditions and the complications thereof.
  • Treats pain as a result of an injury, illness, or a disabling condition
    Develops a biopsychosocial treatment plan and acts as a case manager for patients.
  • Works in a multidisciplinary team of medical professionals, including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, psychologists, social workers and dieticians.
  • Consults with a variety other specialists, which include neurologists, orthopaedic surgeons, urologists, psychiatrists, physicians and many more.