And now for something completely different! ;0)
I have never had much luck with plastic reels and tanks. Always found stainless superior for several reasons.
Any difficulty with stainless reels, in my experience, has always been due entirely to poor quality reels or ones which have become bent over the years from rough handling.
By far, the best stainless reels available today are the Hewes brand. Here they are on the B&H website:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=26286&is=REG
Every bit as well made and easy to load as the old Nikkor brand which were made a couple of miles from here in West Springfield, Massachusetts. You really should be able to manage them.
With regards to your arthritis, I have recently obtained almost total relief in my hands with the use of Methotrexate (a very old chemotherapy drug) combined with Salsalate (a derivative of aspirin without the heart attack side effects of Aleve, etc.). Both require about 90 days to take effect. And both are by prescription only. Perhaps you might run these past your physician.
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