Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the gender characteristics on scapular kinematics during shoulder three planes of elevation with and without external loading. Methods: Nine healthy men and 10 healthy women participated in this study. The subjects performed shoulder fl exion, scapular plane elevation, and abduction with and without loading. An electromagnetic motion capture system was used to analyze scapular orientation, and change in the scapular orientation from the

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... ng position was calculated. Results: Scapular posterior tilt with loading signifi cantly decreased compared to that without loading for shoulder fl exion and abduction in men. There was no change in the scapular orientation with or without loading in women. Women had lower upward rotation and posterior tilt angle with or without loading. Discussion: This study revealed the gender diff erences in scapular kinematics during shoulder elevation with and without loading. In women, the scapular motion was less, and had muscle activity characteristic which possibility explains why there was no change in the scapular orientation with loading.