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The following is a summary of “Effect of stress ball use on cannulation-related invasive pain in Hemodialysis patients: a randomized controlled, single-blind study,” published in the March 2025 issue of BMC Nephrology by Tosun et al. 

Stress ball use is a non-pharmacological method that reduces pain and anxiety by diverting attention. It offers a simple, effective pain management approach. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study on stress ball use during cannulation in patients with hemodialysis. 

They conducted a single-blind, randomized, controlled study with 64 participants, dividing them into experimental (n=32) and control (n=32) groups. They had the experimental group use a stress ball for 3 min before and during cannulation, while the control group received routine care. They assessed pain using the visual analog scale (VAS) after cannulation across 12 sessions, with statistical significance set at P<0.05. 

The results showed a significantly lower median VAS score in the intervention group. VAS scores decreased over 12 sessions (P<0.01), with an increasing effect over time (P=0.016). Overall, median VAS scores differed significantly between groups (P<0.01). 

Investigators found that stress ball use during cannulation reduced pain intensity in hemodialysis patients, with increased effectiveness over multiple sessions. They suggested it as a simple, cost-effective pain management method. 

Source: bmcnephrol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12882-025-04071-w