Herniated disks are most common in people in their 30s and 40s. When part of a disk presses on a nerve, it can cause pain in both the back and the legs. The location of the pain depends on which disk is weak. How bad the pain is depends on how much of the disk is pressing on the nerve. In most people with a herniated disk, the pain spreads over the buttocks and goes down the back of one thigh and into the calf.
Some people have pain in both legs.
Some people's legs or feet feel numb or tingly. The pain from a herniated disk is usually worse when you're active and gets better when you're resting. Coughing, sneezing, sitting, driving and bending forward may make the pain worse. The pain gets worse when you do these things because they all put more pressure on the nerve. People with a painful herniated disk often try to change their position to reduce the pain.