RIMS

RIMS Rehabilitation in Multiple Sclerosis network is a European organization that connects healthcare professionals, researchers, and patient groups to improve the lives of people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) through evidence-based rehabilitation. It drives progress in research and clinical practice by encouraging cross-disciplinary collaboration. With the goal of ensuring timely access to effective rehabilitation for all people with MS in Europe, RIMS promotes knowledge sharing, supports scientific research, and trains practitioners to apply evidence in daily care.

RIMS is deeply embedded in a global network of MS-related institutions, including the MS International Federation MSIF, the Progressive MS Alliance PMSA, and the European MS Platform EMSP, and collaborates with Social Science and Humanities (SSH) actors, such as RI4All – Responsible Innovation with and for ALL, to ensure that rehabilitation strategies and research are not only scientifically sound but also socially responsive.

With its deep expertise and broad international reach, RIMS will lead the public and patient engagement efforts in TEN4CARE (WP12-WP13), ensuring that the project outcomes are aligned with the real needs of users, whether they are patients, clinicians, or caregivers.

People with MS represent an ideal starting point for TEN4CARE’s engagement activities, as around 20–25% of them experience tendinopathies as an indirect consequence of the disease. MS is one of the most widespread neurological conditions globally, affecting 2.8 million people, with over a million cases in Europe alone, and it spans a highly heterogeneous population. RIMS will gradually expand its efforts to include people with tendinopathies from sports, injuries, or aging, to ensure broad and inclusive participation, capturing diverse ages, genders, backgrounds, and types of tendinopathies.

RIMS’ stakeholder engagement activities will also be instrumental in defining paths towards exploitation, regulatory approval and commercialization (WP10).

With its pan-European network and solid infrastructure (e.g. over 1,400 contacts and a newsletter reaching more than 1,500 professionals), RIMS is well positioned to disseminate results and spread awareness-raising and training about TEN4CARE across Europe and beyond (WP12-WP13). Its communication strategy will be strengthened by key national partners like the Italian MS Society Foundation (FISM) and its NEUROBRITE Research Center.

RIMS embodies a forward-thinking approach to rehabilitation: while rooted in MS, it generates significant relevance across the broader healthcare ecosystem.