2.4.0.8016 - Disclosure - Accounting Policies, by Policy (Policies)truefalsefalse1false falsefalsec4_From30Sep2012To29Jun2013http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000718924duration2012-09-30T00:00:002013-06-29T00:00:001true 1us-gaap_AccountingPoliciesAbstractus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0Accounting Policies [Abstract]2false 2us-gaap_ConsolidationPolicyTextBlockus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00Principles of Consolidation The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and Span Medical Products Canada Inc., a British Columbia corporation (“Span-Canada”), its wholly-owned subsidiary. Significant inter-company accounts and transactions have been eliminated.falsefalsefalsenonnum:textBlockItemTypenaDisclosure of accounting policy regarding (1) the principles it follows in consolidating or combining the separate financial statements, including the principles followed in determining the inclusion or exclusion of subsidiaries or other entities in the consolidated or combined financial statements and (2) its treatment of interests (for example, common stock, a partnership interest or other means of exerting influence) in other entities, for example consolidation or use of the equity or cost methods of accounting. The accounting policy may also address the accounting treatment for intercompany accounts and transactions, noncontrolling interest, and the income statement treatment in consolidation for issuances of stock by a subsidiary.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02, 03 -Article 3A Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18780-107790 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2197480 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 860 -SubTopic 40 -Section 45 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/section&trid=2197723 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 323 -SubTopic 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2196966 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 325 -SubTopic 20 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2197087 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.3A-02) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27015204&loc=d3e355033-122828 Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 323 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=16385135&loc=d3e33801-111570 Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=18733093&loc=d3e5614-111684 Reference 10: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph k -Article 1 false0Consolidation, Policy [Policy Text Block]3false 2us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionsAndTranslationsPolicyTextBlockus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00Foreign Currency Translation The assets and liabilities of Span-Canada, operating under the name “M.C. Healthcare Products,” which uses the Canadian dollar as its functional currency, are translated into U.S. dollars at the quarter-end exchange rate. Revenues and expenses are translated at weighted average exchange rates. The resulting translation adjustments are recorded as a separate component of shareholders’ equity.falsefalsefalsenonnum:textBlockItemTypenaDisclosure of accounting policy for (1) transactions denominated in a currency other than the reporting enterprise's functional currency, (2) translating foreign currency financial statements that are incorporated into the financial statements of the reporting enterprise by consolidation, combination, or the equity method of accounting, and (3) remeasurement of the financial statements of a foreign reporting enterprise in a hyperinflationary economy.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18780-107790 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 830 -SubTopic 20 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2175856 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 830 -SubTopic 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2175826 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 830 -SubTopic 30 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2175892 false0Foreign Currency Transactions and Translations Policy [Policy Text Block]4false 2us-gaap_NewAccountingPronouncementsPolicyPolicyTextBlockus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00Recently Issued Accounting Standards Accounting standards that have been issued or proposed by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) or other standards-setting bodies that do not require adoption until a future date are not expected to have a material impact on our financial statements upon adoption.falsefalsefalsenonnum:textBlockItemTypenaDisclosure of accounting policy pertaining to new accounting pronouncements that may impact the entity's financial reporting. Includes, but is not limited to, quantification of the expected or actual impact.No definition available.false0New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]5false 2us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationOptionAndIncentivePlansPolicyus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00Stock-Based Compensation We measure and recognize compensation expense for all stock-based payments at fair value. Stock-based payments include stock option grants. We have granted options to purchase common stock to some of our employees under various plans at prices equal to the market value of the stock on the dates the options were granted. New shares of stock are issued upon share option exercise. We do not have treasury stock. The fair value of each option grant is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following weighted average assumptions for grants made in fiscal 2011: risk-free interest rate of 2.54%; dividend yield of 2.5%; volatility factor of the expected market price of our common stock of 43.02%; and a weighted average expected life of the options of 9.0 years. No options were granted during the nine months ended June 29, 2013 or during fiscal year 2012.falsefalsefalsenonnum:textBlockItemTypenaDisclosure of accounting policy for stock option and stock incentive plans. This disclosure may include (1) the types of stock option or incentive plans sponsored by the entity (2) the groups that participate in (or are covered by) each plan (3) significant plan provisions and (4) how stock compensation is measured, and the methodologies and significant assumptions used to determine that measurement.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18780-107790 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (b),(f) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2228939 false0Share-based Compensation, Option and Incentive Plans Policy [Policy Text Block]falseAccounting Policies, by Policy (Policies)UnKnownUnKnownUnKnownUnKnowntruefalsefalseSheethttp://www.spanamerica.com/role/AccountingPoliciesByPolicy15