CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY - 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, 2016	$ 147	$ 68,687	$ 150,342	$ (31,628)	$ 187,548	$ 1,140	$ 188,688
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016	14,733			(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)	76			0
Revaluation of redeemable non-controlling interest, net of tax	$ 0	0	(126)	$ 0	(126)	0	(126)
Compensation expense - equity-based awards	0	5,032	0	0	5,032	0	5,032
Transfer of compensation liability for certain stock issued pursuant to long-term incentive plans	0	165	0	0	165	0	165
Sale of non-controlling interest, net of tax and purchases	0	56	0	0	56	(20)	36
Dividends paid to USPT shareholders	0	0	(10,066)	0	(10,066)	0	(10,066)
Distributions to non-controlling interest partners	0	0	0	0	0	(5,300)	(5,300)
Other	0	0	0	0	0	160	160
Net income attributable to non-controlling interests - permanent equity	0	0	0	0	0	5,224	5,224
Net income attributable to USPH shareholders	0	0	22,256	0	22,256	0	22,256
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 148	73,940	162,406	$ (31,628)	204,866	1,204	206,070
Ending 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)	90			0
Revaluation of redeemable non-controlling interest, net of tax	$ 0	0	(18,268)	$ 0	(18,268)	0	(18,268)
Compensation expense - equity-based awards	0	5,939	0	0	5,939	0	5,939
Transfer of compensation liability for certain stock issued pursuant to long-term incentive plans	0	373	0	0	373	0	373
Sale of non-controlling interest, net of tax and purchases	0	(224)	0	0	(224)	(48)	(272)
Dividends paid to USPT shareholders	0	0	(11,664)	0	(11,664)	0	(11,664)
Distributions to non-controlling interest partners	0	0	0	0	0	(5,812)	(5,812)
Other	0	0	49	0	49	50	99
Net income attributable to non-controlling interests - permanent equity	0	0	0	0	0	5,536	5,536
Net income attributable to USPH shareholders	0	0	34,873	0	34,873	0	34,873
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 149	80,028	167,396	$ (31,628)	215,945	930	216,875
Ending 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	$ 1	0	0	$ 0	1	0	1
Issuance of restricted stock, net of cancellations (in shares)	90			0
Revaluation of redeemable non-controlling interest, net of tax	$ 0	0	(8,771)	$ 0	(8,771)	0	(8,771)
Compensation expense - equity-based awards	0	6,985	0	0	6,985	0	6,985
Transfer of compensation liability for certain stock issued pursuant to long-term incentive plans	0	636	0	0	636	0	636
Purchase of partnership interests - redeemable non-controlling interests	0	(266)	0	0	(266)	(26)	(292)
Sale of non-controlling interest, net of tax and purchases	0	0	196	0	196	0	196
Dividends paid to USPT shareholders	0	0	(14,555)	0	(14,555)	0	(14,555)
Distributions to non-controlling interest partners	0	0	0	0	0	(6,014)	(6,014)
Other	0	0	47	0	47	(7)	40
Net income attributable to non-controlling interests - permanent equity	0	0	0	0	0	6,561	6,561
Net income attributable to USPH shareholders	0	0	40,039	0	40,039	0	40,039
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2019	$ 150	$ 87,383	$ 184,352	$ (31,628)	$ 240,257	$ 1,444	$ 241,701
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019	14,989			(2,215)