Who We Are
Dr. Stephen Ford PT, DPT, FAAOMPT, OCS, CSCS
Stephen Ford, PT, DPT, FAAOMPT, OCS, CSCS, is a fellowship trained board certified orthopedic physical therapist at Lonestar Physical Therapy & Sports Performance in South Tyler seeing patients 12 and older. As the CEO and founder of this private practice, Dr. Ford seeks to provide expert orthopedic manipulative therapy to promote a better tomorrow through better health today with an emphasis on patient centered care for all individuals. He received his Doctorate of Physical Therapy at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, graduating in the top 10% of his cohort with the distinction of being an Alpha Eta Honor Student. Upon graduation, he continued his professional duties serving as the national president for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapist Student Special Interest Group, where he served as the Member at Large the year prior. Passionate about advancing his orthopaedic manipulative therapies, Dr. Ford is a Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist from the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties and a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists.
Prior to moving to the Tyler Area, Dr. Ford was a senior therapist and partner with a large corporate practice; now, as a private practice owner and clinician, he is excited for opportunity to offer the foremost state of the art therapies. Dr. Ford enjoys regularly serving as an instructor and mentor to students, new graduates, and orthopedic residents. Additionally, he is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist with advanced training in dry needling, blood flow restriction therapy, headache/concussion management, and golf performance. Dr. Ford continues to be active in his professional associations, the American Physical Therapy Association and American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapist.
When not seeing patients, Dr. Ford enjoys spending time at the lake with his wife and daughter. Also, he enjoys playing golf and spending time on his yard amongst other projects to relax.
Ayaz Ali, PTA
Ayaz Ali, PTA, is a licensed Physical Therapist Assistant at Lonestar PT&SP. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelors of Science in Human Nutrition and then completed the Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Tyler Junior College. With a committment to better serving the community and promoting a healthier lifestyle, Ayaz is also a Certfied Personal Trainer with the National Academy of Sports Medicine Personal Training. He enjoys spending time with his patients in promoting physical activity, managing acute and chronic pain, and reducing fall risks with intensive balance programming. In his free time, Ayaz enjoys spending time outdoors with his two dogs and traveling with his family and friends to new places.
Carlita Eddington, Massage Therapist
Carlita Eddington, LMT graduated with an Assoicate of Science Degress in Kinesiology from Kilgore College and the ATI Career Training certifying in Massage Therapy. With over 15 years in the industry, Carlita has extensive experience in medical massage, therapeutic, Swedish, prenatal, deep tissue and cupping. With a drive for further knoweldge, Carlita is currently working on her Bachelors Degree in Kinesiology as well. She enjoys working with patients to reach their goal by helping them through therapeutic care with massage and referring them to physical therapy care as needed to restore wellness and healthy living.