Anyone here uses them? Any benefits?

I do. I have a Ti rod that runs from my right hip to just above my knee as a result of a horrible femur fracture a while back. The hip abductor and the adductor machines are regular part of my strength training based on the recommendation of my then physical therapist. It had to do with the fact that I had lost some muscle mass on my right femur while recuperating from my the femur break.

I can't really tell you what the benefits is/are, but I really enjoy doing them as part of my total fitness plan. One thing I can tell you though, is that my bum leg fatigues less quicker than the good leg. I would like to believe it is b/cos I take my leg exercises (leg press, quad lift, standing hamstring curls, calf presses and calf lifts) very seriously. I am a kinda serious hiker too, and that probaly helps too.

Not to hijack, but are there any exercises that exercise those muscles without using the machine?

Haha, we call that the vagina tightener at the gym.

Any movement that you do sideways, unlike all the time spent on a bike.

I call them the nun and s l u t machines.

But yeah they work.

If you want to hit those muscles (and others) without needing machines, check out the pilates hip series of exercises. Think Jane Fonda (sp?) type stuff.

lateral resistance band walks.

In actuality, this is one exercise pretty much anyone could stand to do, and makes a great squat warm-up. The glute medius primarily controls abduction/adduction of the femur, and its function tends to decline with age.

Also a more functional way of training the gluteus medius, which is the one you want to hit here. Look up good form, or you risk facilitating hip flexors and the piriformis, which you don't want here.

Actually, I have resistance bands. Good idea. I'll look up proper form on some phys therapy websites.

My collegiate coach has us doing them (along with single leg squats, step up, leg presses, hamstring curls, etc.), so assuming you're incorporating them into a routine of other exercises, they're going to be useful!

my dad used one recently in hospital, they abducted his original hip and put in a metal one.