The needle puller that I have used for hand quilting split down the metal strip and I had bent it back in place so many times, it wuldn't work any more. I had a pair of slant tweezers nearby and tried using that as a needle puller. It worked!!! I got them at a dollar store for $1.00. I tied a string of ribbon through the center and then around the closed end and can put them around my neck for a handy place to have them.
Have you tried putting caster oil on your hands? I have used it on one of my knees that gets tight and doesn't want to bend. I had expected it to help there, but didn't think about my fingers that didn't want to bend easily. After a while, I noticed that the fingers on my hand that I used to apply the caster oil to my knee would bend easier. It's worth a try, it worked on my fingers, and just might help yours too. I find it near the laxatives in the drug area of stores.