This study was performed to evaluate the influences of the passive glenohumeral rotation on the scapulothoracic motion. We took anteroposterior radiograms of the right shoulders including the thoracic vertebrae with supine position in 10 normal male adults, at 0 degree abduction, 45 degrees abduction and 90 degrees abduction in scapular plane and in neutral rotation, maximal internal rotation and maximal external rotation in each abduction view. The scapulothoracic motion was measured as the distances between the vertical line drawn from the spinous process of the 7th cervical vertebra and the inferior and superior angles of the right scapula respectively. At 0 degree abduction, the distances were not changed in internal rotation relative to neutral rotation, but decreased significantly in external rotation, that is, the scapula shifts medially on external rotation. At 45 degrees abduction, the distances were increased significantly only in internal rotation, that is, the scapula shifts laterally on internal rotation. At 90 degrees abduction, the scapula rotated laterally on internal rotation and medially on external rotation. In conclusion, when a physician examines the rotation of the shoulder joint, he cannot exclude the scapulothoracic motion just by examining the patient with supine position. And we concluded that the rotatory movement of the shoulder is not solely contributed to the glenohumeral motion.