When squatting the shin needs to travel forward. The further forward the shin can go, the further the thigh bone (femur) can travel with it. 

Restriction in the ankle means the femur can’t travel forward, so the hips HAVE to move back further, which causes the spine to lean forward to stop the lifter from falling over. 

This causes a big problem when front squatting because you need to stay tall to keep the bar in position.  When using a heel raise, it orientates the shin angle further forward. 

Note: it does not alter the degree of motion at the ankle. It simply shifts the shin forward, positioning the knee further over the toes and giving the lifter a greater chance of staying taller. The bigger the heel raises, the more upright you can stay.

For a lot of people, this will give them greater ability to go deeper without the rounding under “butt wink” and therefore, you can train the muscles through a greater range of motion

Note: this will make the exercise more knee biassed, which is excellent for strengthening the quads and structures around the knee. But of course, be careful if you have a previous history of knee pain. Heel raises are a simple workaround for people with long femurs or ankle mobility restrictions and are helpful when performing a front squat.

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