The quadratus femoris is one of the muscles of the deep group of muscles within the gluteal region. It is a flat quadrangular shaped muscle, and is the most inferiorly located deep gluteal muscle.

The gluteal region consists of two groups of muscles:

• Deep group: small muscles which mainly laterally rotate the femur at the hip joint. These include the piriformis, obturator internus, gemellus superior, gemellus inferior, and quadratus femoris.
• Superficial group: larger muscles which cause abduction and extension of the femur at the hip joint. These include the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimis and the tensor fascia latae.