Heel elevation for barefoot lifters - how raising the heel improves squat depth and performance
Discover how heel elevation improves squat depth, stability, and muscle activation – especially for barefoot lifters. Evidence-led tips on technique, injury prevention, and training adaptations.
24 AUGUST 2025
Barefoot lifting has become something of a badge of honour in strength training circles. And while training close to the floor has its benefits, it also comes with limitations, particularly when it comes to squat depth and joint mechanics.
The truth is, even the most experienced barefoot lifters can struggle to hit optimal depth or maintain strong posture without compensations. That's where a subtle heel elevation can make a big difference.
In this article, we'll break down how heel elevation helps improve squat depth, muscle recruitment, and movement efficiency, especially for barefoot lifters. We'll explore how elevating the heel alters biomechanics, benefits joint loading, and can support injury prevention when used smartly.
How heel elevation improves squat performance
- Depth and mechanics
There's a reason that lifters with Olympic shoes often look smoother at the bottom of a squat – a small heel lift can make a big difference. Most squat breakdowns – limited depth, heels lifting, and excessive trunk lean – can be traced back to poor ankle mobility. Ankle dorsiflexion, the movement bringing the shin forward over the foot, is essential for balance and depth in a squat. Many lifters, especially barefoot or minimalist shoe users, simply lack the range to get there [1].
Heel elevation effectively reduces the mobility demand at the ankle. Raising the heel shifts the angle of the tibia relative to the foot, allowing deeper knee flexion while maintaining heel contact and a more upright torso [2]. This leads to better squat depth without compensation through the lower back or hips.
Biomechanical studies show that moderate heel elevation (around 20-25mm) significantly alters centre-of-mass position, improving squat stability and reducing forward trunk lean [3], as well as improving knee mechanics [4] and muscle activation patterns [2]. In essence these changes create a better environment for clean movement and controlled force production, lowering the risk of compensation-driven faults in squat technique.
For barefoot lifters, this doesn't mean abandoning minimalism. Heel elevation isn’t a compromise; it’s a strategic tool. Portable solutions like the Stonarke Ultraform Lift offer heel elevation and arch support while preserving foot contact and proprioceptive training, helping you unlock deeper, stronger squats without losing the benefits of minimalist training.
- Muscle activation and joint loading
When you elevate the heel during a squat, you're not just changing posture – you're fundamentally redistributing load and altering which muscles do the heavy lifting. A growing body of research shows that heel elevation increases activation in the quads, especially the vastus lateralis, and calf muscles, while reducing reliance on hip extensors like the glutes and hamstrings.
This happens because elevating the heels allows the knees to travel further, changing the moment arms and joint angles at the ankle, knee, and hip. As a result, the quads take on a greater share of the work, while the more upright torso position reduces strain on the lower back and hips. A recent musculoskeletal modelling study confirmed that lifting the heels boosts activation in the quads and calves, while reducing the workload of the tibialis anterior, helping stabilise the movement from the ground up [2].
Heel elevation also affects joint loading, or how force is distributed through the body. A moderate heel lift (around 20-25mm) has been shown to improve joint torque balance at the knee and ankle, also reducing peak shear forces at the lumbar spine [3]. That means fewer compensations and a safer, more efficient squat pattern – especially important when training under heavier loads.
For barefoot and minimalist lifters, this means accessing better muscle recruitment patterns and joint angles, without the need to abandon ground feel or foot strength work. Adding minimalist heel elevation at the right times in your training schedule lets you tap into these benefits, while still training your feet in a proprioceptively rich environment, building strength, mobility, and technique all at the same time.
- Squat stability, symmetry, and injury prevention
Good squat technique isn’t just about strength and depth; it’s about moving with control and balance. Poor balance, asymmetrical loading, and compensatory movement patterns are leading contributors to squat-related injuries.
Recent studies have shown that heel elevation in the squat helps reduce movement and torque asymmetry, specifically at the knees [5] and ankles [3], and in both novice and barefoot lifters respectively. This creates symmetrical knee tracking and allows for more even force distribution across both sides of the body, reducing the imbalance and compensatory movement patterns that often lead to injury.
Additionally, heel elevation improves postural stability, shifting the centre of mass slightly forward, allowing for a more upright torso position and reduced lumbar shear forces [3,6]. This decreases reliance on passive structures like ligaments, and the lower back, to control posture.
For barefoot lifters, adding a portable heel elevation tool like the Stonarke Ultraform Lift to their training can enhance movement control without creating a disconnection from the floor – preserving proprioceptive input while creating a safer, more balanced squat position under load.
Why heel elevation isn’t a cheat for barefoot lifters
Barefoot lifting is about control, stability, and proprioception – but that doesn't mean you shouldn't adapt your setup when necessary. Heel elevation isn't a cheat or a shortcut. It's a biomechanical tool, and for barefoot or minimalist lifters it can be used strategically without compromising your connection to the floor.
Several studies have shown that heel elevation improves squat depth, symmetry, posture, and stability, all without dampening proprioceptive feedback for those who lift barefoot [1,3]. It doesn't replace proper mobility work or technique – it enhances what you're already working on, allowing you to reach better positions and safer joint angles under load. Think of it like using chalk for grip: it's a tool to improve performance, not a shortcut to avoid weaknesses.
For lifters training barefoot or in minimalist footwear, a tool like the Stonarke Ultraform Lift delivers these benefits without restricting natural foot movement or sensory input, offering a portable, progressive option for improving depth and control when needed.
Should you squat with heel elevation? Who benefits most, and when you might not need it
Heel elevation isn't for everyone, but for many lifters, it's a smart, simple fix for common mobility and posture issues in the squat. If you struggle with limited ankle mobility, excessive trunk lean at depth, your heels lifting off the floor, or an inability to hit parallel or deeper without compensation, then heel elevation could be a game-changer.
Recent research [1-6] consistently highlights that moderate heel lifts improve posture, depth, and joint torque balance, particularly in novice lifters and those training barefoot. Barefoot and minimalist lifters often benefit from portable wedges like the Stonarke Ultraform Lift, which provide elevation without disconnecting them from the floor.
But it's not universal. Advanced lifters with strong mobility, or those prioritising maximal hip and posterior chain engagement, may choose to stick with flat squats. Additionally, individuals with acute knee issues (like patellar tendinopathy or post-surgical limitations) may need to be cautious, as heel elevation has been shown to increase patellofemoral load in certain individuals [4].
Like chalk, belts, or lifting shoes, the value of heel elevation in squats depends on context – and it's most effective when applied with purpose.
How to use heel elevation in squats – practical tips and progressions
If you're new to using heel elevation, start simple and build progressively. Begin by assessing your ankle mobility – if limited dorsiflexion is holding back your squat, a moderate heel lift can immediately improve depth and posture.
- Start with a moderate elevation
Research suggests that moderate elevations (20-25mm) strike a good balance between improved mechanics and overly shifting joint stress, maintaining safe joint torque distribution and reducing the risk of new asymmetries developing [3,6].
If you're barefoot lifting, a portable tool like the Stonarke Ultraform Lift, with a 25mm heel elevation suitable for both novice lifters and experienced athletes looking to improve depth and control, makes it easy to experiment without needing specialist shoes.
- Build use through technique and light warmup sets
We recommend testing heel elevation during warmups and bodyweight squats first, specifically incorporating it with mobility drills and technique-focused squat sessions to encourage deeper, cleaner movement patterns.
The aim isn't to become reliant on heel elevation, but to improve mechanics while working on mobility alongside. As ankle and hip flexibility improves, you can reduce lift height or alternatively reserve it for heavy or high-volume training days where your technique typically breaks down.
The takeaway – why heel elevation could be the smartest move for your squat training
Heel elevation isn't a gimmick – it's a smart, evidence-backed way to improve squat depth, posture, muscle activation, and joint health. Research consistently shows that moderate heel elevation improves movement symmetry, reduces compensations, and helps protect against injury.
Whether you're a barefoot lifter chasing ground feel or a strength athlete looking to clean up your technique under load, a portable, foot-shaped tool like the Stonarke Ultraform Lift delivers those benefits without losing that vital proprioceptive feedback from the floor.
Heel elevation is a small change that can make a big difference. Smart lifters train hard, but they also train smart – any tool that helps you move well and optimise technique has to be worth exploring.
Want to experience the difference? Explore how the Stonarke Ultraform Lift can help refine your squat today.
References
[1] Sriwarno, A.B, Shimomura, Y, & Iwanaga, K. (2008). The effects of heel elevation on postural adjustment and activity of lower-extremity muscles during deep squatting-to-standing movement in normal subjects. Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 20(1), 31–38.
[2] Lu, Z, Li, X, et al. (2022). Effect of heel lift insoles on lower extremity muscle activation and joint work during barbell squats. Bioengineering, 9(7), 301.
[3] Duan, L, Fekete, G, et al. (2025). The influence of different heel heights on squatting stability: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. Advances in the Biomechanics of Sports, 15(5), 2471.
[4] Pangan, A.M, & Leineweber, M. (2021). Footwear and elevated heel influence on barbell back squat: A review. Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, 143(9), 090801.
[5] Sayers, M.G.L, Nasab, S.H.H, et al. (2020). The effect of increasing heel height on lower limb symmetry during the back squat in trained and novice lifters. BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation, 12(42).
[6] Charlton, J.M, Hammond, C.A, et al. (2017). The effects of a heel wedge on hip, pelvis, and trunk biomechanics during squatting in resistance-trained individuals. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 31(6), 1678–1687.