Objective To investigate the relationship between movement function and sleep quality of the elderly living in rural areas. Methods A total of 493 elderly persons were selected by cluster sampling and were invited to fill out the Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale (GLFS-25) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Results The prevalence of locomotive syndrome was 30.22%. Gender, age, BMI and sleep disorder were risk factors for locomotive syndrome in the elderly. The prevalence of sleep disorder was 37.32%, gender and locomotive syndrome were risk factors of sleep disorders in the elderly. Conclusion Movement function and sleep quality are poor in the rural elderly, and they are positively correlated and interact. Nurses should concern movement function and sleep quality of the rural elderly, thus to enhance their quality of life.