Meet the Experts

Jessica Hixon

Physician Assistant with Miami Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute

Videos

Overview of Scoliosis

Jessica Hixon, Physician Assistant with Miami Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute, explains scoliosis is a twist in the spine, where the curve is on the back view. For noticing if there is scoliosis, she suggests seeing if there is a difference in the shoulder height, in the waste or the hips, and you might see a bump on the back. Nervous system problems, idiopathic, inherited conditions differences in leg lengths, and tumors are some of the causes of scoliosis. Hixon points out idiopathic means scoliosis happens spontaneously with no real known cause, and this is actually the most common type of scoliosis.

Learning about Hip Dysplasia

Jessica Hixon, Physician Assistant with Miami Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute, explains hip dysplasia is the shallowing of the ball and socket. That means the ball can move around, and the hip does not develop normally and it can dislocate. She also says it is a condition that you are born with and it is noted at that first visit from the neonatologist and pediatrician at birth.

Risk Factors of Clubfoot

Jessica Hixon, Physician Assistant with Miami Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute, explains clubfoot is the turning of the foot. It happens in the uterus and it is a tightening of some of the muscles that pulls the foot up. Family history, multiple births, position of the baby in the uterus, nervous system disorders, and less amniotic fluid surrounding the baby in the uterus are some of the risk factors of clubfoot. Hixon highlights there are some disorders that come from the brain that cause tightening of the muscles and tendons that would put the baby at risk of having clubfeet and contractions in other body parts.

Specialties for Physician Assistants

Physician Assistants are in a wide variety of medical fields, such as primary care, internal medicine subspecialties, emergency medicine, and pediatric subspecialties, among others. Jessica Hixon, Physician Assistant with Miami Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute, says a lot of PAs work in primary care because there are not enough physicians available to see the aging population.

Treating Hip Dysplasia in Kids

Jessica Hixon, Physician Assistant with Miami Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute, says 80% to 90% of babies treated for hip dysplasia shortly after birth will not have recurrence. She also explains those babies can be treated with a harness that keeps the baby's hip in position and the legs in a frog position to keep that joint articulating with each other. The time wearing the harness will depend on what the ultrasound shows, how deep or shallow the socket is and whether the hip is in the socket or not.

DISCLAIMER: The information and opinions expressed in the programs on this channel and website are intended to address specific questions asked or situations described in each particular program, are for educational purposes only, and are not designed to constitute advice or recommendations as to any disease, ailment, or physical condition. You should not act or rely upon any information contained in these programs without seeking the advice of your personal physician or a qualified medical provider. If you have any questions about the information or opinions expressed, please contact your doctor or other medical professional.

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