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Quadratus femorisMusculus quadratus femoris

Flat, four-sided deep muscle between the ischial tuberosity and the back of the femur that strongly laterally rotates and adducts the hip.

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LatinMusculus quadratus femoris
Origin
  • Lateral border of the ischial tuberosity
Insertion
  • Quadrate tubercle on the intertrochanteric crest of the femur, and the quadrate line running down from it
Action
  • Laterally rotates the hip
  • Adducts the hip
  • Steadies the head of the femur in the hip socket
NerveNerve to quadratus femoris (L4–S1)
GroupDeep hip rotators
NameLatin quadratus, 'squared', and femoris, 'of the thigh' — a flat, four-sided muscle.

Palpation

  1. Client prone with a bolster under the ankles; stand beside the hip.
  2. Find the ischial tuberosity and the greater trochanter. Quadratus femoris fills the lower part of the space between them, level with the bottom of the buttock, under gluteus maximus.
  3. Sink in slowly with flat fingers just lateral to the ischial tuberosity and feel for a broad, firm band running straight across to the femur.
  4. Bend the client's knee to 90° and ask them to press the foot inwards against light resistance (hip lateral rotation); the band firms under your fingers.

Landmarks: Ischial tuberosity · Greater trochanter

The quadratus femoris is the lowest of the Deep hip rotators you can reach from behind. Its fibres run horizontally from the Ischial tuberosity (the “sit bone”) to the back of the femur, just below the Greater trochanter. Its upper edge lines up with the inferior gemellus (see Gemelli) and its lower edge with Adductor magnus.

It lies under Gluteus maximus, close to the top of the Hamstrings. When you work just lateral to the ischial tuberosity, fibres running across the buttock are likely to be quadratus femoris; fibres running down the thigh belong to the hamstrings. Use slow, broad pressure here and ask the client to report any tingling or pain spreading down the leg.

Besides rotating the thigh outwards, it also pulls the thigh towards the midline (adduction), so it works alongside the Adductors as well as the other deep rotators.

Techniques

  • Compression — Pressing straight down into a muscle with the palm, fist or forearm, holding briefly, then releasing and moving on.
  • Circular friction — Small circles made with the finger or thumb pads that move the skin over the deeper tissue without sliding, to work a specific spot.
  • Trigger point pressure release — Sustained thumb or finger pressure on a tender spot within a taut band of muscle, held until the client reports the discomfort easing, then slowly released.
  • Positional release — A gentle, indirect method where a tender point is monitored with a fingertip while the body part is moved into a comfortable, shortened position that eases the tenderness, held for about 90 seconds.

Works with

  • Obturator externus — Flat, triangular muscle covering the outside of the front of the pelvis whose tendon wraps under the neck of the femur to laterally rotate the hip.
  • Gemelli — Two small, paired deep hip muscles, above and below the obturator internus tendon, that help it laterally rotate the hip.
  • Obturator internus — Fan-shaped deep hip muscle that starts inside the pelvis, turns around the back of the ischium and laterally rotates the hip.
  • Piriformis — Flat, pear-shaped deep hip muscle running from the front of the sacrum to the greater trochanter that laterally rotates the hip.
  • Adductors — Group of five muscles on the inner thigh, running from the pubic bone and sitting bone to the femur and tibia, that pull the legs together.

Opposes

  • Gluteus minimus — The smallest and deepest of the three gluteal muscles, lying under gluteus medius, that abducts and medially rotates the hip.
  • Gluteus medius — Thick, fan-shaped muscle on the outer side of the pelvis that abducts the hip and keeps the pelvis level when you stand on one leg.
  • Tensor fasciae latae — Small muscle at the front of the outer hip, just below the ASIS, that tightens the iliotibial band and helps flex, abduct and medially rotate the hip.

Same group

  • Gemelli — Two small, paired deep hip muscles, above and below the obturator internus tendon, that help it laterally rotate the hip.
  • Obturator externus — Flat, triangular muscle covering the outside of the front of the pelvis whose tendon wraps under the neck of the femur to laterally rotate the hip.
  • Obturator internus — Fan-shaped deep hip muscle that starts inside the pelvis, turns around the back of the ischium and laterally rotates the hip.
  • Piriformis — Flat, pear-shaped deep hip muscle running from the front of the sacrum to the greater trochanter that laterally rotates the hip.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia: Quadratus femoris muscle
  2. Wikipedia: Nerve to quadratus femoris
  3. Wikipedia: Lateral rotator group