Closing out his first year as a physical therapist and five months at Sheridan Memorial Hospital’s Wyoming Rehab, John Bass, PT, DPT, CSCS, is passionate about helping patients recover from injury and rebuild strength through a combination of hands-on care, strength-focused rehabilitation and movement science.
“I think it’s incredible what the body can do and how adaptable it is,” Bass said. “Physical therapy is basically the science of using physical stimulus and physical load to help the body respond and recover in a better way and get patients back to what they enjoy doing.”
Originally from Kearns, Utah, Bass grew up playing sports and initially thought he might pursue a career in athletic training or strength and conditioning coaching. However, after completing internships in both fields during college, he realized he was looking for something different.
“I really enjoyed courses like biomechanics, kinesiology, anatomy and physiology,” he said. “I think the science behind physical therapy is really interesting.”
Bass earned his undergraduate degree from Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana, where he played football and ran track, before returning to Utah to attend Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions for physical therapy school.
While his role as a physical therapist at Wyoming Rehab ultimately brought him to Sheridan, the community was already familiar territory.
“I had friends from Sheridan when I was in Billings, so I’d visited a few times and always liked it,” Bass said. “I knew it was the kind of place I wanted to end up eventually.”
He said what stood out most during his interview process at Sheridan Memorial Hospital was the organization’s culture and commitment to its people.
“They take care of their people,” he said. “There’s a strong emphasis on serving the community and building the hospital around the needs of the community, and I saw that same effort reflected in the employees here.”
Bass described Wyoming Rehab as a welcoming, collaborative environment where team members genuinely support one another. Sharing an office space with fellow physical therapists Justin Bridger and Lindsay Kinney has also given him opportunities to continue learning and growing.
“Everybody helps each other, and everybody wants to see each other succeed,” Bass said. “I like that I can sit next to Justin and Lindsay, and we can have these quick conversations about treatment ideas. I like that I have two mentors who I can pick their brains at any time.”
He is also passionate about helping patients understand that recovery is often about more than temporary relief.
“I believe in hands-on therapy, but you have to follow it up with exercise,” he said. “Manual therapy can create change, but your body is always going to go back to what it knows.”
In addition to dry needling, Bass incorporates his background in strength training into his treatment philosophy, emphasizing resilience and long-term recovery.
“Our bodies are resilient,” he said. “You can’t strength train your way out of everything, but strength goes a long way when you’re recovering from an injury.”
Outside of Wyoming Rehab, Bass stays involved in local athletics. As he works toward a sports clinical certification, he helps screen athletes and spends time in Sheridan High School’s athletic training room and on the sidelines at sporting events. He also assists with programming and coaching the school’s summer strength and conditioning program.
When he isn’t helping patients achieve their physical therapy goals, Bass enjoys the outdoor lifestyle Sheridan offers. He spends much of his free time hiking, biking, fishing and strength training, and says he appreciates how easy it is to transition from town to open space and mountain scenery.
“I like that I can walk just about everywhere I need to go, but then I can also drive 20 minutes in any direction and feel completely away from everything,” Bass said.
If you’re interested in working with John Bass or learning more about the exceptional care provided at Wyoming Rehab, visit wyomingrehab.org or call 307.674.1632.