Objective To investigate the changing characteristics and rules of the different period of articular cartilage in rats after dorsal rhizotomy, and to verify the partial sensory disturbance can cause articular cartilage injury. Methods Thirty-three ten-month-old SPF male Wistar rats were randomly divided into experimental group (n=18) and control group (n=15). The rats in the experimental group were sectioned the L3、L4 dorsal roots in the right. The rats in the control group were only incised the skin and paravertebral muscles. To observe the behavior changes in rats. At 2, 6 and 10 weeks, the specimens of the right hind lower end of femur were drawn out to make paraffin sections, then HE staining and Safranin O/ Fast Green staining. The changes and characteristics of the morphology of the articular cartilage was observed. Results With the prolonging of period, the right hind limb of the experimental rats through the change process of transient paralysis, coordination of movement disorders and active movement. In the experimental group, the patellar surface of right hind femur gradually became shallow and wide. The articular cartilage underwent rough, cells disorganizated, cells decreased, and duplicated drifted and interrupted tide line. The ratios of ACC/TAC of the experimental group were gradually high(t=5.25～8.13,P < 0.05). Conclusion Dorsal rhizotomy can cause injury and degenerative changes in articular cartilage.