To observe acupotomy on the morphology of knee osteoarthritis rabbits model and the changes of MMP-9 and COX-2 in the articular cartilage. Methods: Thirty New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into a sham-operate group, a model group and an acupotomy group, 10 models in each. The model group and the acupotomy group were made into KOA model, while the sham-operate group and then model group didn’t accept any interventions. The acupotomy group released the lateral collateral ligament and the patellar ligament on the second day of molding by acupotomy with vertical and horizontal strip method, once a week, for 4 weeks’ treatment. After the treatment, knee histomorphology changes under light microscope of the three groups of rabbits were observed, and concentration changes of articular cartilage MMP-9 and COX-2 were tested by Western blotting. Results: 1） After HE dyeing, the model group, the acupotomy group of New Zealand rabbits’ knees all have different degrees of edema and hyperplasia, and the improvements in the acupotomy group was better than that in the model group; a certain degree degenerative changes were also visible in the knee joint cartilage of the model group. 2） Compared with the sham-operate group, MMP-9 and COX-2 concentration of articular cartilage increased in both of the model group and the acupotomy group, but the increasing trend of the model group was more obvious （P<0.05）. After acupotomy intervention, the above two index levels in the acupotomy group dropped more than those in the model group （P<0.05）. 3）Using Pearson method to analyze MMP-9 and COX-2 correlation, the results showed that MMP-9 levels was positively correlated with COX-2 （P<0.05）. Conclusion: Acupotomy can improve cartilage degeneration of the knee osteoarthritis of model rabbits obviously, and the mechanism maybe related to the reduction of MMP-9 and COX-2.