My mothers mri came back showing chronic degenerative tear of the acl, chronic degenerative tear of the posterior horn of the medial medial meniscus.?

Old injuries: These reflect old injuries of the knee and usually have very little to do with her current problems. An acl reconstruction is the last thing she would need. More likely she has quad weakness causing limping along with hamstring tendinitis with pain on the inner thigh and leg. Giving way, leg burning, and night pain are likely. Quad exercises and at most a knee scope and meniscectomy would help.

Acl tear: Older patients will sometimes have MRI readings showing "acl tears." this should be correlated with the patient's symptoms. If an acl tear is present in an "older" patient try treating the patient with an initial conservative course including brace and pt.