A new randomized controlled trial from western Türkiye demonstrates that stress ball therapy provides measurable clinical benefits for patients undergoing haemodialysis. Researchers found the simple intervention significantly lowers perceived stress while improving sleep quality and overall comfort during treatment.
The single-blind study involved 57 patients divided into experimental and control groups. The intervention protocol required participants to use stress balls for 15 minutes, three times weekly, across 12 sessions. Data was collected using standardized metrics including the Perceived Stress Scale and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index.
Results indicated a statistically significant decrease in stress scores for the intervention group compared to baseline. Sleep quality also improved markedly within this cohort, whereas the control group showed no significant changes. Additionally, patients using stress balls reported enhanced comfort levels across multiple subscales.
These findings highlight a cost-effective, non-pharmacological strategy easily integrated into standard nursing procedures. While researchers recommend further studies with diverse sample groups to validate these outcomes, the current evidence supports stress ball use as a viable tool for enhancing patient welfare in dialysis care.