If you’ve been in the ortho industry for any time, you know the big dogs like Stryker, Zimmer Biomet, and Depuy-Synthes have long held the fort.
But lately, two players—Globus Medical and Arthrex—are charging ahead, reshaping the US orthopedic scene with aggressive growth, smart strategies, and a laser focus on surgeon needs. We’re talking spine supremacy, sports med innovation, and billions in revenue that’s turning heads. Let’s break it down on why these companies are starting to dominate, at least stateside, based on the latest 2025 data.
Globus Medical: From Spine Specialist to Musculoskeletal Powerhouse
Globus Medical, headquartered in Audubon, Pennsylvania, started as a spine-focused upstart in 2003 but has evolved into a full-spectrum orthopedic force through savvy mergers and organic expansion. Their big leap came in 2023 with the $3.1 billion all-stock merger with NuVasive, combining complementary portfolios in spine implants, robotics, and enabling tech. This deal didn’t just bulk up their offerings—it catapulted them to the second-largest player in the $13 billion global spine market, right behind Medtronic. In the US, where spine procedures drive a huge chunk of ortho revenue, Globus now commands about 23% market share in key segments like spinal fusion, trailing only Medtronic’s 32%.
Fast-forward to 2025, and the numbers are impressive. Globus reported third-quarter sales of $769 million, a 22.9% jump year-over-year, with US spine business growing 10% amid surging demand.
Full-year 2024 ortho sales hit $2.5 billion, up 60.6% from the prior year, thanks to the NuVasive integration and new launches in trauma and joint reconstruction.
They’re reaffirming 2025 guidance at $2.8–$2.9 billion, signaling sustained momentum.
And let’s not forget their February 2025 acquisition of Nevro for $250 million, adding neuromodulation for chronic pain—expanding beyond traditional ortho into adjacent pain management, which could unlock new revenue streams in the US where chronic back pain affects millions.
What sets Globus apart? Their emphasis on robotics and navigation systems, like the ExcelsiusGPS platform, is winning over US surgeons by improving precision in spine and trauma procedures. TIME even named them one of America’s Growth Leaders in 2025, ranking #134 among top public companies.
While analysts have flagged some integration hiccups post-NuVasive (like a May 2025 downgrade over “foundational cracks” in spine), the overall trajectory screams dominance.
In a US market projected to grow from $7 billion in 2024 to over $25 billion by 2034, Globus is positioning itself as the go-to for comprehensive musculoskeletal solutions.
Arthrex: The Innovation Engine Fueling Sports Medicine Supremacy
On the private side, Naples, Florida-based Arthrex is the quiet giant rewriting the rules in minimally invasive orthopedics, especially sports medicine. Founded in 1981, this family-owned powerhouse has stayed true to its mission: “Helping Surgeons Treat Their Patients Better.” They crank out a ton of new products and procedures annually, focusing on arthroscopy, regenerative medicine, and trauma—areas exploding in the US due to aging athletes and rising sports injuries.
Arthrex dominates the US sports medicine space alongside Smith & Nephew, capturing more than half of all sales in a market that’s seeing robust growth amid post-pandemic procedure normalization.
Their innovations—like the NanoScope system for pediatric ortho and laparoscopy (FDA-cleared in 2025), InternalBrace for ACL repairs, and regenerative solutions using growth factors—are speeding up recoveries and reducing invasiveness.
Think about it: In a country where osteoarthritis burdens over 33 million adults and costs exceed $300 billion, Arthrex’s focus on quick-return-to-play tech (used in high-profile cases like Aaron Rodgers’ Achilles repair) is a game-changer.
Growth-wise, Arthrex employs 10,000 people globally and has expanded through targeted buys, like the 2020 acquisition of Advanced Orthopaedic Solutions for trauma tech. They’re not chasing mega-mergers; instead, they build in-house, like starting suture manufacturing in 2014, which has fueled a decade of innovation. In the broader ortho devices market, projected to hit $92 billion globally by 2033, Arthrex’s US-centric push in arthroscopy and biologics positions them as a leader in the $61.9 billion worldwide ortho market that grew 5% in 2024.
Whispers in the industry suggest Arthrex, under founder Reinhold Schmieding, is eyeing bigger plays to become a full-service orthopedic powerhouse. Rumors are swirling that Arthrex could acquire Orthofix’s spine division in a spin-out deal valued over $500 million by December 2025, following Orthofix’s strong Q3 US fixation sales growth of 8% and 10% procedural volume increase—aiming to streamline amid competition and regulations.
Adding fuel to the fire, there’s talk of Arthrex snapping up UK-based Corin soon, bolstering its joint replacement and robotics offerings.
If Schmieding pulls this off, Arthrex could emerge as a true end-to-end ortho giant by 2026—watch out, competitors!
Why These Two Are Dominating the US Ortho Scene
So, what’s the secret sauce? For Globus, it’s scale through M&A—merging with NuVasive and snagging Nevro has broadened their US footprint in spine (a $50 billion musculoskeletal subset) while integrating robotics for efficiency.
Arthrex, meanwhile, thrives on relentless R&D and a surgeon-first culture, dominating sports med where procedure volumes are rebounding strong. Both are capitalizing on US trends: an aging population, tech adoption in ORs, and a shift to outpatient procedures. In top-10 ortho lists for 2025, Globus ranks high in implants (e.g., #8 globally), while Arthrex leads in niche innovation.
Compared to legacy giants, these companies are nimbler—Globus with public agility, Arthrex with private flexibility. The US ortho market’s steady 4-5% growth post-2024 normalization plays to their strengths, especially as competitors like Medtronic face pricing pressures.
Looking Ahead: A Duopoly in the Making?
As we wrap 2025, Globus and Arthrex aren’t just participating—they’re leading the charge in US orthopedics. Globus could solidify spine dominance with more tech integrations, while Arthrex’s innovation pipeline might expand into AI-driven diagnostics. But watch for challenges: integration risks for Globus and competition in sports med for Arthrex. Still, in a market eyeing $87.6 billion by 2035, these titans are poised to roar louder.
What do you think, OrthoStreams subscribers ?
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