Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) - Restated Consolidated Balance Sheets (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
Dec. 31, 2016
Sep. 30, 2016
Jun. 30, 2016
Mar. 31, 2016
Dec. 31, 2015
Sep. 30, 2015
Jun. 30, 2015
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Current assets [Abstract]                    
Cash and cash equivalents $ 20,047 $ 15,024 [1] $ 20,453 [1] $ 19,206 [1] $ 15,778 [1] $ 20,558 [1] $ 12,972 [1] $ 14,557 [1] $ 14,271 [1] $ 12,898 [1]
Patient accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts 38,840 38,522 [1] 39,356 [1] 38,217 [1] 36,231 [1] 35,106 [1] 34,830 [1] 34,673 [1]    
Accounts receivable - other 2,649 2,272 [1] 2,335 [1] 2,345 [1] 2,388 [1] 1,939 [1] 1,338 [1] 1,378 [1]    
Other current assets 4,428 11,616 [1] 8,794 [1] 8,781 [1] 5,803 [1] 6,058 [1] 6,509 [1] 5,291 [1]    
Total current assets 65,964 67,434 [1] 70,938 [1] 68,549 [1] 60,200 [1] 63,661 [1] 55,649 [1] 55,899 [1]    
Fixed assets [Abstract]                    
Furniture and equipment 48,426 46,996 [1] 46,747 [1] 45,654 [1] 44,749 [1] 44,157 [1] 43,495 [1] 42,542 [1]    
Leasehold improvements 26,765 26,206 [1] 25,733 [1] 25,547 [1] 25,160 [1] 25,006 [1] 24,107 [1] 23,565 [1]    
Fixed assets, gross 75,191 73,202 [1] 72,480 [1] 71,201 [1] 69,909 [1] 69,163 [1] 67,602 [1] 66,107 [1]    
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization 56,018 55,760 [1] 55,642 [1] 54,512 [1] 53,255 [1] 52,501 [1] 51,098 [1] 50,212 [1]    
Fixed assets, net 19,173 17,442 [1] 16,838 [1] 16,689 [1] 16,654 [1] 16,662 [1] 16,504 [1] 15,895 [1]    
Goodwill 226,806 215,057 [1] 215,094 [1] 214,877 [1] 195,373 [1] 194,675 [1] 194,740 [1] 183,002 [1] 171,740 [1]  
Other identifiable intangible assets, net 38,060 33,389 [1] 33,909 [1] 34,428 [1] 30,296 [1] 23,798 [1] 24,167 [1] 24,537 [1]    
Other assets 1,228 1,221 [1] 1,219 [1] 1,200 [1] 1,234 [1] 1,175 [1] 1,086 [1] 1,916 [1]    
Total assets 351,231 334,543 [1] 337,998 [1] 335,743 [1] 303,757 [1] 299,971 [1] 292,146 [1] 281,249 [1]    
Current liabilities [Abstract]                    
Accounts payable - trade 1,634 2,181 [1] 1,668 [1] 2,244 [1] 1,636 [1] 1,662 [1] 1,451 [1] 2,292 [1]    
Accrued expenses 21,756 23,216 [1] 26,273 [1] 20,684 [1] 16,596 [1] 18,287 [1] 19,446 [1] 18,178 [1]    
Current portion of notes payable 1,227 986 [1] 1,044 [1] 1,253 [1] 775 [1] 1,412 [1] 800 [1] 932 [1]    
Total current liabilities 24,617 26,383 [1] 28,985 [1] 24,181 [1] 19,007 [1] 21,361 [1] 21,697 [1] 21,402 [1]    
Notes payable 4,596 4,546 [1] 4,547 [1] 4,621 [1] 4,335 [1] 1,679 [1] 1,059 [1] 483 [1]    
Revolving line of credit 46,000 36,000 [1] 42,500 [1] 52,500 [1] 44,000 [1] 46,000 [1] 41,000 [1] 41,500 [1]    
Mandatorily redeemable non-controlling interests 69,190 61,276 [1] 59,932 [1] 58,481 [1] 45,974 [1],[2] 45,323 [1] 49,166 [1] 45,578 [1] 40,365 [1]  
Deferred rent 1,575 1,313 [1] 1,285 [1] 1,391 [1] 1,395 [1] 1,192 [1] 1,040 [1] 984 [1]    
Deferred taxes 15,736 18,736 [1] 18,153 [1] 17,362 [1] 15,508 [1] 13,276 [1] 12,027 [1] 12,009 [1]    
Other long-term liabilities 829 914 [1] 923 [1] 968 [1] 1,228 [1] 2,774 [1] 2,930 [1] 1,485 [1]    
Total liabilities 162,543 149,168 [1] 156,325 [1] 159,504 [1] 131,447 [1] 131,605 [1] 128,919 [1] 123,441 [1]    
Commitments and contingencies [1] [1] [1] [1] [1] [1] [1]    
Redeemable non-controlling interests   0 [1] 0 [1] 0 [1] 0 [3] 0 [1] 0 [1] 0 [1]    
U.S. Physical Therapy, Inc. ("USPH") shareholders' equity [Abstract]                    
Preferred stock, $.01 par value, 500,000 shares authorized, no shares issued and outstanding 0 0 [1] 0 [1] 0 [1] 0 [1] 0 [1] 0 [1] 0 [1]    
Common stock, $.01 par value, 20,000,000 shares authorized, 14,734,963 shares issued 147 147 [1] 147 [1] 147 [1] 146 [1] 146 [1] 146 [1] 145 [1]    
Additional paid-in capital 68,687 68,493 [1] 67,223 [1] 65,550 [1] 64,238 [1] 62,918 [1] 61,051 [1] 60,302 [1]    
Retained earnings 150,342 147,223 [1] 144,547 [1] 140,664 [1] 138,301 [1] 135,403 [1] 131,760 [1] 127,288 [1]    
Treasury stock at cost, 2,214,737 shares (31,628) (31,628) [1] (31,628) [1] (31,628) [1] (31,628) [1] (31,628) [1] (31,628) [1] (31,628) [1]    
Total USPH shareholders' equity 187,548 184,235 [1] 180,289 [1] 174,733 [1] 171,057 [1] 166,839 [1] 161,329 [1] 156,107 [1]    
Non-controlling interests 1,140 1,140 [1] 1,384 [1] 1,506 [1] 1,253 [1] 1,527 [1] 1,898 [1] 1,701 [1]    
Total USPH shareholders' equity and non-controlling interests 188,688 185,375 [1] 181,673 [1] 176,239 [1] 172,310 [1] 168,366 [1] 163,227 [1] 157,808 [1] 153,939 [1] 136,234 [1]
Total liabilities, USPH shareholders' equity and non-controlling interests $ 351,231 334,543 [1] 337,998 [1] 335,743 [1] 303,757 [1] 299,971 [1] 292,146 [1] 281,249 [1]    
As Reported [Member]                    
Current assets [Abstract]                    
Cash and cash equivalents   15,024 20,453 19,206 15,778 20,558 12,972 14,557 14,271  
Patient accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts   38,522 39,356 38,217   35,106 34,830 34,673    
Accounts receivable - other   2,272 2,335 2,345   1,939 1,338 1,378    
Other current assets   10,800 8,220 8,298   6,058 6,509 5,291    
Total current assets   66,618 70,364 68,066   63,661 55,649 55,899    
Fixed assets [Abstract]                    
Furniture and equipment   46,996 46,747 45,654   44,157 43,495 42,542    
Leasehold improvements   26,206 25,733 25,547   25,006 24,107 23,565    
Fixed assets, gross   73,202 72,480 71,201   69,163 67,602 66,107    
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization   55,760 55,642 54,512   52,501 51,098 50,212    
Fixed assets, net   17,442 16,838 16,689   16,662 16,504 15,895    
Goodwill   191,231 191,268 191,051 171,457 170,849 170,914 159,176    
Other identifiable intangible assets, net   33,389 33,909 34,428   23,798 24,167 24,537    
Other assets   1,221 1,219 1,200   1,175 1,086 1,916    
Total assets   309,901 313,598 311,434 279,913 276,145 268,320 257,423    
Current liabilities [Abstract]                    
Accounts payable - trade   2,181 1,668 2,244   1,662 1,451 2,292    
Accrued expenses   23,216 26,273 20,684   18,287 19,446 18,178    
Current portion of notes payable   986 1,044 1,253   1,412 800 932    
Total current liabilities   26,383 28,985 24,181   21,361 21,697 21,402    
Notes payable   4,546 4,547 4,621   1,679 1,059 483    
Revolving line of credit   36,000 42,500 52,500   46,000 41,000 41,500    
Mandatorily redeemable non-controlling interests   0 0 0 0 [2] 0 0 0    
Deferred rent   1,313 1,285 1,391   1,192 1,040 984    
Deferred taxes   13,727 12,361 10,789 8,355 0 0 0    
Other long-term liabilities   860 869 914   10,769 10,925 9,480    
Total liabilities   82,829 90,547 94,396 77,960 81,001 75,721 73,849    
Commitments and contingencies        
Redeemable non-controlling interests   8,334 8,641 7,591 8,843 [3] 9,024 10,585 7,373    
U.S. Physical Therapy, Inc. ("USPH") shareholders' equity [Abstract]                    
Preferred stock, $.01 par value, 500,000 shares authorized, no shares issued and outstanding   0 0 0   0 0 0    
Common stock, $.01 par value, 20,000,000 shares authorized, 14,734,963 shares issued   147 147 147   146 146 145    
Additional paid-in capital   49,506 48,236 46,563 45,251 45,536 45,829 45,080    
Retained earnings   160,746 157,161 152,219 149,016 144,888 140,933 136,491    
Treasury stock at cost, 2,214,737 shares   (31,628) (31,628) (31,628)   (31,628) (31,628) (31,628)    
Total USPH shareholders' equity   178,771 173,916 167,301   158,942 155,280 150,088    
Non-controlling interests   39,967 40,494 42,146   27,178 26,734 26,113    
Total USPH shareholders' equity and non-controlling interests   218,738 214,410 209,447   186,120 182,014 176,201   151,017
Total liabilities, USPH shareholders' equity and non-controlling interests   309,901 313,598 311,434 279,913 276,145 268,320 257,423    
Adjustment [Member]                    
Current assets [Abstract]                    
Cash and cash equivalents   0 0 0 0 0 0 0 $ 0  
Patient accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts   0 0 0   0 0 0    
Accounts receivable - other   0 0 0   0 0 0    
Other current assets   816 574 483   0 0 0    
Total current assets   816 574 483   0 0 0    
Fixed assets [Abstract]                    
Furniture and equipment   0 0 0   0 0 0    
Leasehold improvements   0 0 0   0 0 0    
Fixed assets, gross   0 0 0   0 0 0    
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization   0 0 0   0 0 0    
Fixed assets, net   0 0 0   0 0 0    
Goodwill   23,826 23,826 23,826 23,916 23,826 23,826 23,826    
Other identifiable intangible assets, net   0 0 0   0 0 0    
Other assets   0 0 0   0 0 0    
Total assets   24,642 24,400 24,309 23,844 23,826 23,826 23,826    
Current liabilities [Abstract]                    
Accounts payable - trade   0 0 0   0 0 0    
Accrued expenses   0 0 0   0 0 0    
Current portion of notes payable   0 0 0   0 0 0    
Total current liabilities   0 0 0   0 0 0    
Notes payable   0 0 0   0 0 0    
Revolving line of credit   0 0 0   0 0 0    
Mandatorily redeemable non-controlling interests   61,276 59,932 58,481 45,974 [2] 45,323 49,166 45,578    
Deferred rent   0 0 0   0 0 0    
Deferred taxes   5,009 5,792 6,573 7,153 13,276 12,027 12,009    
Other long-term liabilities   54 54 54   (7,995) (7,995) (7,995)    
Total liabilities   66,339 65,778 65,108 53,487 50,604 53,198 49,592    
Commitments and contingencies        
Redeemable non-controlling interests   (8,334) (8,641) (7,591) (8,843) [3] (9,024) (10,585) (7,373)    
U.S. Physical Therapy, Inc. ("USPH") shareholders' equity [Abstract]                    
Preferred stock, $.01 par value, 500,000 shares authorized, no shares issued and outstanding   0 0 0   0 0 0    
Common stock, $.01 par value, 20,000,000 shares authorized, 14,734,963 shares issued   0 0 0   0 0 0    
Additional paid-in capital   18,987 18,987 18,987 18,987 17,382 15,222 15,222    
Retained earnings   (13,523) (12,614) (11,555) (10,715) (9,485) (9,173) (9,203)    
Treasury stock at cost, 2,214,737 shares   0 0 0   0 0 0    
Total USPH shareholders' equity   5,464 6,373 7,432   7,897 6,049 6,019    
Non-controlling interests   (38,827) (39,110) (40,640)   (25,651) (24,836) (24,412)    
Total USPH shareholders' equity and non-controlling interests   (33,363) (32,737) (33,208)   (17,754) (18,787) (18,393)   $ (14,783)
Total liabilities, USPH shareholders' equity and non-controlling interests   $ 24,642 $ 24,400 $ 24,309 $ 23,844 $ 23,826 $ 23,826 $ 23,826    
[1] as restated
[2] Mandatorily redeemable non-controlling interests
[3] Redeemable non-controlling interests