The Effect of Stress Ball Use on Pain and Anxiety in Day Surgery

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of using a stress ball on day surgery patients’ anxiety, pain, and analgesic consumption. Design Prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial. Methods The study was conducted with a total of 66 day surgery patients—33 in the intervention group and 33 in the control group—at a state hospital located in western Turkey. Data were collected using an information form, the Visual Analog Scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and an analgesic usage chart. Patients in the intervention group were given a stress ball 30 minutes before surgery, and they were monitored in terms of preoperative anxiety as well as postoperative pain and analgesic consumption over the course of 1 week. Findings Of the participants, 66.7% of the experimental group and 77.7% of the control group reported having moderate-to-high levels of stress overall. In the preoperative period, anxiety levels in the intervention group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( P < .001). No significant difference was found between the intervention group, who used stress balls, and the control group in terms of mean pain scores on the first postoperative day ( P > .05). However, by the seventh day, the pain levels in the intervention group were significantly lower compared with the control group ( P < .001). Additionally, by the end of the 7-day period, the total amount of analgesic consumed by the intervention group was significantly lower than that of the control group ( P < .001). Conclusions The use of a stress ball was found to reduce preoperative anxiety, assist in managing postoperative pain, and decrease analgesic consumption. Therefore, it is recommended that the use of stress balls be encouraged in both the preoperative and postoperative periods for day surgery patients. © 2025 The American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses.