Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) - Restated Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current assets [Abstract] | ||||||||
| Allowance for doubtful accounts, patient accounts receivable | $ 1,792 | $ 1,770 | $ 1,672 | $ 1,568 | $ 1,444 | $ 1,556 | $ 1,618 | $ 1,633 |
| U.S. Physical Therapy, Inc. ("USPH") shareholders' equity [Abstract] | ||||||||
| Preferred stock, par value (in dollars per share) | $ 0.01 | $ 0.01 | $ 0.01 | $ 0.01 | $ 0.01 | $ 0.01 | $ 0.01 | $ 0.01 |
| Preferred stock, shares authorized (in shares) | 500,000 | 500,000 | 500,000 | 500,000 | 500,000 | 500,000 | 500,000 | 500,000 |
| Preferred stock, shares issued (in shares) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Preferred stock, shares outstanding (in shares) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Common stock, par value (in dollars per share) | $ 0.01 | $ 0.01 | $ 0.01 | $ 0.01 | $ 0.01 | $ 0.01 | $ 0.01 | $ 0.01 |
| Common stock, shares authorized (in shares) | 20,000,000 | 20,000,000 | 20,000,000 | 20,000,000 | 20,000,000 | 20,000,000 | 20,000,000 | 20,000,000 |
| Common stock, shares issued (in shares) | 14,732,699 | 14,734,963 | 14,734,963 | 14,717,463 | 14,635,874 | 14,635,874 | 14,635,674 | 14,613,374 |
| Treasury stock, shares (in shares) | 2,214,737 | 2,214,737 | 2,214,737 | 2,214,737 | 2,214,737 | 2,214,737 | 2,214,737 | 2,214,737 |