Effect of Stress Ball Use on Perioperative Anxiety and Postoperative Pain in Parturients Undergoing Cesarean Section

This project aims to investigate whether the use of a stress ball during the perioperative period, as a non-invasive, drug-free, simple, and easy-to-implement intervention, can reduce the incidence of moderate-to-severe visceral pain within 24 hours after surgery in postpartum women.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Scheduled for elective cesarean section under neuraxial anesthesia 2. American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I-III 3. Age: 18-45 years 4. Gestational age ≥ 37 weeks 5. Willing and able to understand and sign the informed consent form Exclusion Criteria: 1. Prior definite diagnosis of severe mental illness, cognitive impairment, or inability to understand pain rating scales and cooperate with the investigator; 2. Presence of preoperative chronic pain, or long-term use of analgesic drugs and psychotropic drugs (such as anxiolytics, antidepressants, etc.); 3. Hand motor dysfunction (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis)