Might take some playing around with, but I've managed to get it down to where my joint kinda smokes like a cig when I use my lil rolling machine. Lots of trial and error (and playing around with different brands of papers and such), but I got there.

If you've ever smoked pipe tobacco, you're probably familiar with the 3-compress rule for packing the bowl. First you fill it to the top and press down with the same force you'd use to shake a baby's hand. Then refill and compress with the force you'd use to shake a woman's hand, and then a refill and the force of shaking a man's hand.

When I pack the flower in, but before I push some aside to make room for the filter, I only use a woman's handshake and a baby's handshake to compress it all, and my joints tend not to canoe or go out too often.

Regardless, I hope everything works out for you and it continues to help your arthritis.