How often is leg pain related to a back injury?

Depends: This can be hard because you can have leg pain without back pain with a herniated disc. Shooting pain down the back, side or front of your foot or leg can often be from a disc problem. Does the leg pain increase when you sit too long, bend over, cough or sneeze? Severe leg pain may be neurologic or vascular so do not waste time, get it checked. If mild, try some simple stretches-ice-elevation.

It depends: Back pain commonly radiates to the legs so if you are experiencing the leg pain at the same time as the back pain, they are probably related. If the pains are independent of one another, the leg pain could still be coming from a structure in the back. Pain from a disc herniation is usually felt in the leg as a deep burning or electrical sensation.