Revision of Prior Period Financial Statements - Revisions to the Consolidated Balance Sheet (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Inventories	$ 2,254.1	$ 1,193.3
Total Current Assets	5,862.9	4,313.3
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,062.6	1,285.3	$ 1,229.5
Other assets	613.5	941.7
Total Assets	27,219.5	9,658.0	9,595.0
Accounts payable	284.8	145.2
Income taxes payable	147.2	80.3
Other current liabilities	1,185.9	798.5
Total Current Liabilities	1,617.9	1,024.0
Long-term income tax payable	478.1	189.9
Total Liabilities	17,330.1	3,106.3
Retained earnings	8,347.7	8,362.1
Accumulated other comprehensive income	(329.0)	38.1
Total Zimmer Holdings, Inc. stockholders' equity	9,887.9	6,549.9
Total Stockholders' Equity	9,889.4	6,551.7	$ 6,310.6	$ 5,848.0
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity	$ 27,219.5	9,658.0
As Reported [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Inventories		1,169.0
Total Current Assets		4,289.0
Property, plant and equipment, net		1,288.8
Other assets		939.2
Total Assets		9,634.7
Accounts payable		167.1
Income taxes payable		72.4
Other current liabilities		798.5
Total Current Liabilities		1,038.0
Long-term income tax payable		181.7
Total Liabilities		3,112.1
Retained earnings		8,285.2
Accumulated other comprehensive income		85.9
Total Zimmer Holdings, Inc. stockholders' equity		6,520.8
Total Stockholders' Equity		6,522.6
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity		9,634.7
Adjustments [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Inventories		24.3
Total Current Assets		24.3
Property, plant and equipment, net		(3.5)
Other assets		2.5
Total Assets		23.3
Accounts payable		(21.9)
Income taxes payable		7.9
Total Current Liabilities		(14.0)
Long-term income tax payable		8.2
Total Liabilities		(5.8)
Retained earnings		76.9
Accumulated other comprehensive income		(47.8)
Total Zimmer Holdings, Inc. stockholders' equity		29.1
Total Stockholders' Equity		29.1
Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity		$ 23.3