Nairobi, Aug. 29 -- Gardi Okello suffered a serious back injury from 'ego lifting' and spent six months recovering before realising he could solve two problems at once.

The first was personal. He needed to take stretching seriously, both before and after exercise, especially as he got older, when injuries can take longer to heal and recovery becomes more difficult.

The second was entrepreneurial. Okello saw an opportunity to turn his newfound appreciation for stretching into a cash-generating venture, targeting a clientele largely in their 40s and above.

"I was ego lifting, trying to prove to my peers how heavy I could lift. I was lucky I didn't push the disc out of position," recalls the 38-year-old of the injury that was so painful t...