Treatment For Joint Pain In Hands After An Injury

hello doctor - my mother in law had a serious accident in the 80's that affected here spine. Apparently some discs got affected. She was able to carry on with little intervention for a long time but started suffering pain in her joints in her hands years later. She also gets dead legs. Despite constant phsio her condition has remained bad and occasionally gets worse. Surgery was considered too risky in 2004 when things went rather difficult. Now she is nearly 60. What do you suggest?