Objective To investigate the characteristics of knee kinematics and ground reaction force (GRF), as well as the stress state of cartilage and meniscus in the process of lateral incisions at different cutting angles under expected conditions. Methods Kinematics and GRF data of 14 subjects at 45°, 90° and 135° cutting angle respectively under expected conditions were collected. The knee joint reaction force was obtained through the inverse dynamics calculation of Visual 3D. Based on three-dimensional (3D) finite element model of the knee joint, the contact process at 3 lateral cutting angles was simulated. ResultsUnder expected conditions, there were significant differences in knee joint kinematics characteristics at 3 cutting angles during contact process(P＜0.001), and the knee flexion increased with the cutting angle increasing; the vertical GRF decreased significantly with the cutting angle increasing (P＜0.001), while the horizontal GRF showed the opposite trend; for 3 cutting angles, the peak contact stress of patellar cartilage and femoral cartilage was larger at 90° cutting angle, the peak principal stress at anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) contact point was also larger at 90° cutting angle, and the following was at 135° and 45° cutting angle, respectively; the peak contact stress of lateral femoral cartilage was larger than that of medial femoral cartilage at 3 cutting angles. Conclusions The risk of knee joint injury is higher at 90° cutting angle, and the stress state of knee joint at 135° cutting angles is better than that at 90° cutting angle, and the risk of knee joint injury does not increase with the increase of cutting angle under expected conditions.