Effect of Game Activity and Stress Ball on Anxiety and Vital Signs

Preoperative anxiety causes various physiological and psychological reactions. In addition, it is known that preoperative anxiety negatively affects the patient's satisfaction with the surgery, the surgical success rate, and the development of postoperative complications. Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a surgical procedure frequently performed today to relieve pain and restore knee joint function. Approximately 30% of patients undergoing TKA experience psychological distress before surgery. Anxiety is a problem that needs to be managed in TKA patients because it negatively affects them in the postoperative period. Interventions such as music, funny videos, massage, meditation, hypnosis, VR glasses, and motivational interviewing have been used to reduce preoperative anxiety in adults. These methods can be applied by nurses, are low cost, and have few side effects. Gaming activities are also one of the methods used to distract patients and reduce their anxiety levels in the preoperative period. The literature shows that game-based approaches in the management of preoperative anxiety are frequently used with pediatric patients. A stress ball is a method used to draw a person's attention in a different direction by squeezing and loosening the ball held in the palm. Although the use of stress balls has not been widely studied in preoperative anxiety management, research shows that stress balls may be useful in anxiety management. Game activity and stress ball use are methods that are easy to implement and will not burden patients in terms of cost.