Long-Term Debt - Narrative (Details)		3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 16, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) shares d $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Feb. 16, 2016 USD ($)	Apr. 22, 2015 USD ($)	Feb. 17, 2007 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Write off of deferred debt issuance cost		$ 668,000	$ 1,070,000
Weighted average interest rate				3.83%	2.87%
Interest Paid				$ 2,753,000	$ 3,302,000	$ 4,046,000
Long-term Debt, Fiscal Year Maturity [Abstract]
Year One				2,028,000
Year Two				2,169,000
Year Three				1,784,000
Year Four				1,632,000
Year Five				1,703,000
Convertible Subordinated Debt | Convertible senior subordinated debentures at 4.125%, due in February 2027
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount				1,203,000	1,999,000
Write off of deferred debt issuance cost				$ 668,000	1,070,000
Interest rate (as a percent)				4.125%
Principal amount of liability component				$ 13,350,000	13,350,000
Principal Amount									$ 135,000,000
Principal in excess of if-converted value				3,379,000
Conversion par amount				$ 1,000
Initial conversion price | $ / shares				$ 24.79
Conversion price premium				30.00%
Convertible debt, stock price trigger | $ / shares				$ 32.23
Conversion ratio				40.3323
Trading days common stock above conversion price | d				20
Period of consecutive trading days preceding the date on which the notice of conversion is given				30 days
Number of equity instruments upon conversion of convertible debt | shares				539,000
Effective Interest Rate				11.50%
Interest Expense				$ 796,000	710,000	633,000
Interest Paid				551,000	551,000	$ 551,000
Letters of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Letters of credit outstanding				3,230,000	$ 7,063,000
Letters of Credit | Line of Credit | Revolving Credit and Security Agreement (Europe Credit Agreement) [Member] [Domain]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Borrowing capacity				5,000,000
Letters of Credit | Line of Credit | Revolving Credit and Security Agreement (New Credit Agreement) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Borrowing capacity	$ 25,000,000
Swing Line Loans [Domain] | Line of Credit | Revolving Credit and Security Agreement (Europe Credit Agreement) [Member] [Domain]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Borrowing capacity				2,000,000
Amount Available to Invacare Limited and Invacare Poirier SAS [Domain] | Line of Credit | Revolving Credit and Security Agreement (Europe Credit Agreement) [Member] [Domain]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Borrowing capacity				15,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility | Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt issuance cost				1,954,000
Revolving Credit Facility | Line of Credit | Revolving Credit and Security Agreement (Europe Credit Agreement) [Member] [Domain]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Borrowing capacity				$ 30,000,000
Line of Credit, Covenant Compliance, Maximum Borrowing Capacity, Trade Receivables, Europe, Percent				85.00%
Line of Credit, Covenant Compliance, Maximum Borrowing Capacity, Availability Reserve, Minimum				$ 3,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Covenant Feature, Dominion Trigger				$ 3,375,000
Line of Credit Facility, Covenant Feature, Dominion Trigger Maximum Percentage				12.50%
Line of Credit, Covenant Compliance, Consecutive Business Days for Undrawn Balance	5 years			5 days
Line of Credit, Covenant Compliance, Interruption of Manufacturing Facilities Period				10 days
Line of Credit Facility, Current Borrowing Capacity				$ 21,528,000
Line of Credit Facility, Remaining Borrowing Capacity				$ 15,153,000
Line of Credit, Covenant Compliance, Required Undrawn Balance, Minimum, Percent				11.25%
Line of Credit, Covenant Compliance, Required Undrawn Balance, Amount				$ 3,000,000
Remaining borrowing capacity				10,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility | Line of Credit | Revolving Credit and Security Agreement (New Credit Agreement) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit, Covenant Compliance, Maximum Borrowing Capacity, Additional Long-Lived Asset Amount	$ 2,485,000
Line of Credit, Covenant Compliance, Maximum Borrowing Capacity, Trade Receivables, Foreign, Percent	85.00%
Line of Credit, Covenant Compliance, Maximum Borrowing Capacity, Inventories, Foreign, Percent	70.00%
Line of Credit, Covenant Compliance, Maximum Borrowing Capacity, Inventories, Foreign, Liquidation Value, Percent	85.00%
Borrowing capacity	$ 100,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Additional Borrowing Capacity	$ 25,000,000
Line of Credit, Covenant Compliance, Maximum Borrowing Capacity, Trade Receivables, Domestic, Percent	85.00%
Line of Credit, Covenant Compliance, Maximum Borrowing Capacity, Inventories, Domestic, Percent	70.00%
Line of Credit, Covenant Compliance, Maximum Borrowing Capacity, Inventories, Liquidation Value, Percent	85.00%
Line of Credit, Covenant Compliance, Maximum Borrowing Capacity, Inventories, Liquidation Value, Amount	$ 4,000,000
Line of Credit, Covenant Compliance, Maximum Borrowing Capacity, Property, Plant and Equipment, Liquidation Value, Percent	85.00%
Line of Credit, Covenant Compliance, Maximum Borrowing Capacity, Availability Reserve, Minimum	$ 10,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Covenant Feature, Dominion Trigger				11,250,000
Line of Credit Facility, Covenant Feature, Dominion Trigger for Five Consecutive Days				12,500,000
Line of Credit, Covenant Compliance, Consecutive Business Days for Undrawn Balance	5 days
Line of Credit, Covenant Compliance, Interruption of Manufacturing Facilities Period	10 days
Line of Credit, Covenant Compliance, Single Acquisition Limit Maximum								$ 500,000
Line of Credit Facility, Current Borrowing Capacity				$ 38,230,000
Line of Credit, Covenant Compliance, Required Undrawn Balance, Minimum, Percent	11.25%
Line of Credit, Covenant Compliance, Required Undrawn Balance, Amount	$ 10,000,000
Base Rate | Revolving Credit Facility | Line of Credit | Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate				0.25%
Maximum | Revolving Credit Facility | Line of Credit | Revolving Credit and Security Agreement (Europe Credit Agreement) [Member] [Domain]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Unused Capacity, Commitment Fee Percentage				0.375%
Maximum | Revolving Credit Facility | Line of Credit | Revolving Credit and Security Agreement (New Credit Agreement) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Unused Capacity, Commitment Fee Percentage	0.375%
Maximum | Adjusted LIBOR | Revolving Credit Facility | Line of Credit | Revolving Credit and Security Agreement (Europe Credit Agreement) [Member] [Domain]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate				3.00%
Maximum | Adjusted LIBOR | Revolving Credit Facility | Line of Credit | Revolving Credit and Security Agreement (New Credit Agreement) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	2.75%
Maximum | Base Rate | Revolving Credit Facility | Line of Credit | Revolving Credit and Security Agreement (Europe Credit Agreement) [Member] [Domain]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate				3.00%
Maximum | Base Rate | Revolving Credit Facility | Line of Credit | Revolving Credit and Security Agreement (New Credit Agreement) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	1.75%
Minimum | Revolving Credit Facility | Line of Credit | Revolving Credit and Security Agreement (Europe Credit Agreement) [Member] [Domain]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Unused Capacity, Commitment Fee Percentage				0.25%
Minimum | Revolving Credit Facility | Line of Credit | Revolving Credit and Security Agreement (New Credit Agreement) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Unused Capacity, Commitment Fee Percentage	0.25%
Minimum | Adjusted LIBOR | Revolving Credit Facility | Line of Credit | Revolving Credit and Security Agreement (Europe Credit Agreement) [Member] [Domain]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate				2.50%
Minimum | Adjusted LIBOR | Revolving Credit Facility | Line of Credit | Revolving Credit and Security Agreement (New Credit Agreement) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	2.25%
Minimum | Base Rate | Revolving Credit Facility | Line of Credit | Revolving Credit and Security Agreement (Europe Credit Agreement) [Member] [Domain]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate				2.50%
Minimum | Base Rate | Revolving Credit Facility | Line of Credit | Revolving Credit and Security Agreement (New Credit Agreement) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	1.25%
Subsequent Event [Member] | Convertible Subordinated Debt | Convertible senior subordinated debentures at 4.125%, due in February 2027
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate (as a percent)							4.125%
Subsequent Event [Member] | Revolving Credit Facility | Line of Credit | Revolving Credit and Security Agreement (New Credit Agreement) [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Borrowing capacity							$ 100,000,000
Line of Credit, Covenant Compliance, Maximum Borrowing Capacity, Availability Reserve, Minimum							$ 5,000,000
Line of Credit, Covenant Compliance, Required Undrawn Balance, Minimum, Percent							20.00%
Line of Credit, Covenant Compliance, Required Undrawn Balance, Amount							$ 5,000,000