The Effectiveness of External Support on Hip Abduction Strength in Subjects with Insufficient Core Stability

Purpose Core stability was important to manage chronic lower back pain and improve standing balance. This study investigated the influence of core stability on hip abductor strength in standing. Study design A parallel-groups design Methods 34 subjects with sufficient and insufficient core stability between 20–31 years. Hip abductor strength was measured using Smart KEMA tensiometer, with subjects between sufficient and insufficient core stability. Two groups were classified by using the double bent leg lowering test. The hip abductor strength were measured in standing with and without an external support. The two-way mixed analysis of variance was applied. Results In the group with insufficient core stability, The hip abductor strength in standing was greater with external support than the condition without external support. No significant difference was found in the hip abductor strength in the subjects with sufficient core stability between the conditions with and without external support. Conclusions The performance of the hip abductor strength can be influenced by core stability in standing. In the group with insufficient core stability, the hip abduction strength in standing is better with external support, as compared to the condition without external support. Therefore, core stability exercise can be recommended in individuals with insufficient core stability to improve the hip abductor performance in standing.