1/2 Inch Shoe Lift — Custom Build-Up Bonded Into Your Own Shoes

A 1/2 inch shoe lift adds about 13 mm to the sole of one shoe. It is the height we build most often: big enough to level a pelvis that is clearly tilted, small enough that the shoe still looks and flexes like a normal shoe. Half an inch is also roughly the point where a heel insert stops working well and an external build-up becomes the better answer.

Height band: 3/8″ – 1/2″ (10–13 mm). Price: $69.99 per pair, any shoe type, free shipping both ways. Turnaround: work completed in 1–3 business days once your shoes arrive.

• A leg length difference around 1/2″ to 5/8″ — the most common prescription after hip replacement.
• Anyone whose inserts keep pushing their heel out of the shoe. A 1/2″ insert steals a lot of room; a bonded lift steals none.
• People with hip, knee or lower-back pain on one side whose doctor or PT has recommended a lift in that range.
• Kids with a growth-related difference, where a light, low lift is easy to update on the next pair.

This page is general guidance, not medical advice. For any difference over about 1/2″, or if you have pain, confirm the lift height with your doctor or physical therapist first. Our page on signs you need a shoe lift includes a tool to find a specialist near you.

We split the sole, bond a full-length 1/2″ layer between the upper and the outsole, and refinish the edges to match. The lift runs heel to toe with a slight taper at the front so the shoe still rolls through the step naturally. On a sneaker the extra half inch sits inside the midsole line; on a dress shoe it becomes part of the welt and heel.

The result is permanent, waterproof and needs no maintenance beyond what the shoe already needs. See how our shoe lift process works for the step-by-step.