title: Dominance effect on scapula 3-dimensional posture and kinematics in healthy male and female populations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The contralateral shoulder is often used as a reference when evaluating a pathologic shoulder. However, the literature provides contradictory results regarding the symmetry of the scapular pattern in a healthy population. We assume that several factors including gender and type of motion may influence the bilateral symmetry of the scapulae.
  
  
  METHODS
  The dominant and nondominant shoulders of 2 populations of men and women comprising 11 subjects each were evaluated for 3 distinct motions: flexion in the sagittal plane, abduction in the frontal plane, and glenohumeral internal/external rotation with the arm abducted at 90°. Posture, kinematics, and range of motion were studied separately.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Asymmetries are observed for motions performed in the frontal and sagittal plane but not for internal/external rotation with the arm abducted at 90°. For both male and female populations, multiplanar asymmetries are observed and the dominant scapula has a larger upward rotation. The asymmetries mainly originate in the scapula's kinematics and not in its original posture.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Small but significant asymmetries exist between the dominant and nondominant shoulders in terms of kinematics. One should be aware of these differences when using the contralateral shoulder as a reference.
  
  
  METHODS
  Basic science study, kinematics
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Human Motion Analysis, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium. Electronic address: cedric.schwartz@ulg.ac.be.
authors.forename: Cédric
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Human Motion Analysis, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Croisier
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Human Motion Analysis, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Elise
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rigaux
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Human Motion Analysis, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium; Department of Architecture, Geology, Environment and Constructions, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Denoël
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Human Motion Analysis, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium; Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Brüls
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Human Motion Analysis, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bénédicte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Forthomme
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012540:Scapula / Q000502:physiology*; D013909:Thorax / Q000502:physiology; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: 3D; Scapula; dominance; gender; kinematics; posture; shoulder