The level of injury of the spinal cord refers to the most ____________ segment of the cord with normal motor/sensory function.

The correct choice indicates the most caudal segment of the spinal cord that still retains normal motor and sensory function. In anatomical terms, 'caudal' refers to the direction towards the tail end of the body, or the lower part of the spinal cord. When assessing spinal cord injuries, it's crucial to identify the lowest level of the cord that still demonstrates intact function; this is important for treatment decisions and understanding a patient's mobility potential.

Identifying the caudal aspect means looking for the last section of the spinal cord where functioning sensory and motor pathways are present. This helps in determining the severity of the injury and planning appropriate rehabilitation strategies.

In contrast, 'superior' would refer to segments that are located higher up in the body, which may not necessarily indicate the lowest working segment and can be misleading in understanding the injury's implications. 'Proximal' typically relates to being closer to the center of the body, while 'distal' indicates being further away; both terms do not effectively describe the assessment of function as it relates to the most functional level of the spinal cord in injury contexts. Therefore, 'caudal' is the most precise term for this situation.