Dear Swarna Good day.. first of all i could understand your concern for your mom. Rheumatoid arthritis is indeed a degenerative joint disease which affects very badly with pain in the joints. The best and only way to fight the same is adopting an active life style. As your doc had suggested exercises in specific isometric strengthening exercises to the joints can help a lot. But before the caution is do not exercise with pain. To reduce pain, certain treatments like wax bath, hot water massage, TENS etc could help. After say around four or five days of treatment there would be certainly a reduction in the pain, following which you could help in going ahead with the exercises which your physio prescribes. Do that sincerely and for certain you would start noticing reduction in pain by strengthening the adjacent structures of the joint. For the spinal problem, i would suggest back care ie...lying on hard mattress, avoiding lifting heavy objects, taking care while getting out of the bed by turning to one side...and some more similar to that...for more details write to me...Wish your mom speedy recovery!