How will I benefit?

When you strengthen and balance your hips and pelvis, you create a stable platform for all physical activity. This has many potential benefits:

Reduced lower back pain

If the core muscles around your hips and pelvis are weak or out of balance, your back has to carry the weight of your body in an uneven way. This can place great strain on your lower back, as it tries to maintain its correct position, often causing lower back pain - or making it worse.

Reduced knee pain

In addition to affecting the way your back moves, weak and imbalanced hip muscles will affect the movement of your lower body too, including the mechanics of your knees. A recent study from the University of Calgary highlighted weak hips as a leading cause of knee pain in runners. When subjects strengthened their hips, most experienced dramatic improvements in their knee pain.

Preventing injury

There is growing evidence that weak hip muscles (particularly adductors and abductors which the Backchamp targets) can lead to muscle imbalance, instability and injury. Conversly, strong core muscles around the hips and pelvis can help protect from injuries to the back and knees. This is because these deep stabilizing muscles support the skelatal frame during movement and help to ensure correct movement during physical activity. Some recent studies highlight weak hip muscles as being the leading cause of leg injuries in runners, groin strain in footballers (soccer) and injury to hockey players.

Improving physical performance

Sport physiotherapists and athletes understand the importance of core muscle strength to ensure optimum performance while minimising the likelihood of injury. Core muscle strength and balance is fast becoming recognised as essential to the optimal performance of golfers, runners, tennis players, swimmers and others.

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