Teacher Lady

Thank you to both Pres and Marc! Your comments were very helpful, I should be fine since I won't be working with clay on the professional level.

I have had arthritis in my hands beyond memory at this point. Using your hands is whay I consider a key element to life and hands. My guess is you are not a professional with clay so you will not be using.8- 10 tons a year which. puts a hurt on the hands . I would  not worry about clay and your hands. Mild Artritis is in all us old timers who use our hands in life. 
I am 100% a believer that clay can help  strengthen and exercise the muscles . As you age no matter what your artritis will continue
Clay has kept my hands strong . They do not like cold but thats also an aging issue.Heck I do not like cold-never have liked heat either-I like it just right.

Years ago, when I was teaching throwing to beginners, my mantra was Move the Clay, don't let it Move You! I don't know how many times I told the kids that.  Little did I know that all of that moving the clay was also moving me. I find now that many fingers have become bent to fit the way I pull. Both hands have. . . .adjustments.... fingers permanently bent to fit other fingers, on the left for inside pulling, and fingers on the left made to reinforce the pointer when pulling. Weird what repetitive positions do to the body.
 
best,
Pres