During a physical therapy session, maintaining balance is primarily achieved by controlling what?

Maintaining balance in a physical therapy session is primarily achieved by controlling the center of gravity. The center of gravity is the point at which the body's mass is evenly distributed in all directions and plays a critical role in stability. When a person’s center of gravity is aligned over their base of support—such as their feet—they are more stable and less likely to fall. In physical therapy, exercises often focus on improving the awareness and control of an individual's center of gravity to enhance balance and prevent falls.

While weight distribution, muscle strength, and joint flexibility are all important factors that can influence balance, they do so in relation to how the center of gravity is managed. Effective weight distribution helps to keep the center of gravity over the base of support, muscle strength aids in maintaining the necessary posture to keep the center of gravity stable, and joint flexibility allows for a greater range of movement to adapt to shifts in balance. However, it is the control of the center of gravity that is the fundamental principle underlying balance maintenance.