FIT@FLO

FICCI-FLO has collaborated with medical management company Healync Technologies Private Limited to bring in the medical experts who can talk holistically on all aspects of fitness and women’s health. Their expertise in healthcare management gives them access to world leaders in healthcare globally who can bust myths and have people manage their health intelligently.

The first speaker and the director of the inaugural FIT@FLO who was jointly called by the two organization is Dr Abhay Nene who created a frenzy amongst the ladies with the incredible way of balancing his profession and health.

Dr Abhay Nene, spine surgeon from Mumbai is the current Chairperson of AOSpine Asia Pacific – the only other Indian to be heading this prestigious world body of spine. He is a keen academician and was awarded the ‘Educator of the Year’ title by the AO Spine in 2018.

His areas of special interest are Pediatric spinal deformity, Spinal tumor reconstruction, Tuberculosis and the Osteoporotic spine. He has been an author to over two dozen international publications and textbook chapters and is actively involved in research as well as runs fellowships to train young spine surgeons.

Apart from this, Dr Nene is a regular half marathon runner – having completed 20 half marathons all over the world, an avid cyclist – having cycled some of the world’s toughest routes including Manali to Leh (reaching 17500 feet, over 6 of the toughest Himalayan passes) , the Tour of the Nilgiris (India’s longest cycle race: Top 30 finisher in August 2014), a WOW Iceland team finisher (team-cycling across the perimeter of Iceland) and an epic 60 hour nonstop relay cycle ride from New Delhi to Bombay, raising 2.5Cr for cancer children. He is an avid trekker, having scaled the Everest Base Camp, Kanchenjunga Base Camp, and summited India’s highest trekkable peak – Stok Kangri, at over 20,000 feet. Abhay moonlights with a rock band – the Flunkies – as a backup vocalist and guitarist
He is one of the few doctors who was also featured in the CNBC Young Turks show for his expertise.

His talk was divided into spine, joint health, prehab, rehab, fitness and goals.

He started off with some special tips on his specialty and brought an instant relief when he claimed confidently that 80% of spine case gets better without surgery.

It is only when the nerves are at the risk of irreversible damage or the pain becomes a disability in daily life and all conservative methods have not yielded desired results is when surgeons would opt for surgery, which also with the advanced techniques has become a lot less risky

Degeneration of all joints with age is a natural irreversible process just like greying of hair or weakening of vision in the eye with age, but if patients can upkeep their muscle health and strength then most joint related issues can be managed conservatively.

Dr Nene also touched upon the universal problem of weak bones in many women post menopause also called osteoporosis. He emphasized on the need for training, nutrition to manage weakening of bones and if it did become a clinical condition then he reassured them that there now are tools to manage the further deterioration.

The experience and reference of toughening the mind during tough physical endurance comes in handy and gives lead surgeons the edge in handling stressful, long, hard phases of life altering surgeries.

Dr Nene was kind enough to join them on their first run which was on 21st December and started them with a 5km.

On December 21, FICCI-FLO ladies gathered at RCGC Maidan tent at 6:30am.

Dr Nene spearheaded the run with warm up sessions, tips on running technique, breathing technique, how to time and keeping the participants glued to their goal of finishing and not competing.

He stopped and showed the members on how to inhale using their abdomen.

He went back and forth as the ladies ran down the expanse of the Red road to help individually every member in understanding the activity they were doing and pushing their limits slowly.

he enthusiastic group responded to the affable doctor with questions, jokes and tips and showed the Mumbai southpaw the hospitality, eagerness of the City of Joy.

The surgeon was thrilled by the energetic group of ladies and promised them after a frenzied photo opportunity session in front of the iconic Victoria memorial that he will lead them to perform beyond their expectations on the finale day on 29th January 2023.

As he bid adieu to the group, he handed them over to the fitness partners RUSH who have also collaborated with FICCI-FLO to provide the participants a special training session to achieve their goals on the sporting day.