The intended scapular motion is a strategy to strengthen the lower trapezius (LT). However, few studies have explored the effects of the intended scapular posterior tilt motion on selective LT activation. Thus, the present study investigated the effect of the intended scapular posterior tilt on the electromyography (EMG) activity of trapezius muscles during prone shoulder horizontal abduction (PSHA). Eighteen asymptomatic men performed three types of PSHA: (1) preferred PSHA, (2) PSHA with the intended scapular posterior tilt, and (3) PSHA with the intended scapular posterior tilt and trunk extension. EMG activity of the upper trapezius (UT), middle trapezius (MT), and LT were measured during PSHAs. Scapular posterior tilt angle, with and without the intended scapular posterior tilt, were measured using inclinometer. The results indicated that LT muscle activity increased when scapular posterior tilt was applied with and without trunk extension (14–16%), compared to the preferred condition, during PSHA (p < 0.05). However, the addition of trunk extension to PSHA with the intended scapular posterior tilt increased the UT muscle activity (28%) and the UT/LT (29%) and UT/MT (31%) ratios (p < 0.05). The scapular posterior tilt angle was higher (15%) when applying the intended scapular posterior tilt (p = 0.020). These findings suggest that the intended scapular posterior tilt may be a useful strategy for selective LT muscle activation.

Assessing occupational workload under dynamically unstable offshore conditions is challenging because physiological demands and biomechanical exposures may vary across tasks and may not be adequately characterized using a single measure. This exploratory field study characterized physiological, ergonomic, and kinematic workload during coastal gillnet fishing using an integrated assessment approach. Four fishermen (one captain and three crew members) were monitored during three fishing sessions under real offshore conditions. Heart rate, physical activity, ergonomic exposure using the Quick Exposure Check, and lumbar–pelvic kinematics using inertial measurement units were assessed across operational phases. Workload was temporally concentrated during hauling, with heart rate and physical activity increasing particularly during the mid-to-late hauling stages. Ergonomic exposure of the lower back, shoulder/arm, and neck also increased during hauling. Kinematic analysis revealed moderate trunk flexion accompanied by non-neutral flexion exposure of up to 28.62%, while the lumbar contribution to lumbar–pelvic motion frequently exceeded 50%. These findings suggest that integrating wearable sensing with ergonomic assessment may help characterize task-specific workload patterns that are not readily captured by average physiological intensity alone. This approach may support field-based occupational workload assessment in dynamically unstable working environments.