CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY (unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-In Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Total Shareholders' Equity [Member]	Non-Controlling Interests [Member]	Total
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 148	$ 73,940	$ 162,406	$ (31,628)	$ 204,866	$ 1,204	$ 206,070
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017	14,809			(2,215)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of restricted stock, net of cancellations	$ 1	0	0	$ 0	1	0	1
Issuance of restricted stock, net of cancellations (in shares)	91			0
Revaluation of redeemable non-controlling interest, net of tax	$ 0	0	(6,951)	$ 0	(6,951)	0	(6,951)
Compensation expense - equity-based awards	0	2,937	0	0	2,937	0	2,937
Transfer of compensation liability for certain stock issued pursuant to long-term incentive plans	0	373	0	0	373	0	373
Purchase of non-controlling interest	0	(151)	0	0	(151)	(42)	(193)
Dividends paid to USPH shareholders	0	0	(5,828)	0	(5,828)	0	(5,828)
Distributions to non-controlling interest partners, permanent equity	0	0	0	0	0	(2,656)	(2,656)
Other	0	0	1	0	1	50	51
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest - permanent equity	0	0	0	0	0	2,581	2,581
Net income attributable to USPH shareholders	0	0	16,363	0	16,363	0	16,363
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2018	$ 149	77,099	165,991	$ (31,628)	211,611	1,137	212,748
Ending balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2018	14,900			(2,215)
Beginning balance at Mar. 31, 2018	$ 149	75,543	162,907	$ (31,628)	206,971	1,514	208,485
Beginning balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2018	14,885			(2,215)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of restricted stock, net of cancellations	$ 0	0	0	$ 0	0	0	0
Issuance of restricted stock, net of cancellations (in shares)	15			0
Revaluation of redeemable non-controlling interest, net of tax	$ 0	0	(3,204)	$ 0	(3,204)	0	(3,204)
Compensation expense - equity-based awards	0	1,556	0	0	1,556	0	1,556
Transfer of compensation liability for certain stock issued pursuant to long-term incentive plans	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Purchase of non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Dividends paid to USPH shareholders	0	0	(2,914)	0	(2,914)	0	(2,914)
Distributions to non-controlling interest partners, permanent equity	0	0	0	0	0	(1,807)	(1,807)
Other	0	0	(44)	0	(44)	50	6
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest - permanent equity	0	0	0	0	0	1,380	1,380
Net income attributable to USPH shareholders	0	0	9,246	0	9,246	0	9,246
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2018	$ 149	77,099	165,991	$ (31,628)	211,611	1,137	212,748
Ending balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2018	14,900			(2,215)
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 149	80,028	167,396	$ (31,628)	215,945	930	216,875
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018	14,899			(2,215)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of restricted stock, net of cancellations	$ 0	0	0	$ 0	0	0	0
Issuance of restricted stock, net of cancellations (in shares)	90			0
Revaluation of redeemable non-controlling interest, net of tax	$ 0	0	(7,250)	$ 0	(7,250)	0	(7,250)
Compensation expense - equity-based awards	0	3,558	0	0	3,558	0	3,558
Transfer of compensation liability for certain stock issued pursuant to long-term incentive plans	0	636	0	0	636	0	636
Purchase of non-controlling interest	0	(97)	0	0	(97)	(7)	(104)
Dividends paid to USPH shareholders	0	0	(6,891)	0	(6,891)	0	(6,891)
Purchase of partnership interests - redeemable non-controlling interests	0	0	298	0	298	0	298
Distributions to non-controlling interest partners, permanent equity	0	0	0	0	0	(2,771)	(2,771)
Other	0	0	(6)	0	(6)	0	(6)
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest - permanent equity	0	0	0	0	0	3,339	3,339
Net income attributable to USPH shareholders	0	0	23,063	0	23,063	0	23,063
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2019	$ 149	84,125	176,610	$ (31,628)	229,256	1,491	230,747
Ending balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019	14,989			(2,215)
Beginning balance at Mar. 31, 2019	$ 149	82,295	168,952	$ (31,628)	219,768	1,405	221,173
Beginning balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019	14,976			(2,215)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of restricted stock, net of cancellations	$ 0	0	0	$ 0	0	0	0
Issuance of restricted stock, net of cancellations (in shares)	13			0
Revaluation of redeemable non-controlling interest, net of tax	$ 0	0	(3,813)	$ 0	(3,813)	0	(3,813)
Compensation expense - equity-based awards	0	1,830	0	0	1,830	0	1,830
Transfer of compensation liability for certain stock issued pursuant to long-term incentive plans	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Purchase of non-controlling interest	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Dividends paid to USPH shareholders	0	0	(3,446)	0	(3,446)	0	(3,446)
Purchase of partnership interests - redeemable non-controlling interests	0	0	298	0	298	0	298
Distributions to non-controlling interest partners, permanent equity	0	0	0	0	0	(1,717)	(1,717)
Other	0	0	(1)	0	(1)	1	0
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest - permanent equity	0	0	0	0	0	1,802	1,802
Net income attributable to USPH shareholders	0	0	14,620	0	14,620	0	14,620
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2019	$ 149	$ 84,125	$ 176,610	$ (31,628)	$ 229,256	$ 1,491	$ 230,747
Ending balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019	14,989			(2,215)