Wearable electronics for skeletal muscle health monitoring

Wearable sensors designed for skeletal muscle monitoring are reshaping how we study, assess, and support muscular function in both clinical and everyday environments. In this review, we examine recent progress in soft and flexible bioelectronic technologies that enable continuous, noninvasive, and high-resolution measurement of muscle activity. Our discussion focuses on three core sensing strategies: mechanical sensors that capture strain and muscle deformation, electrical sensors for surface electromyography (sEMG), and biochemical sensors that detect muscle-related biomarkers such as creatinine in sweat. Special attention is given to the role of advanced materials, particularly flexible and nano-materials, and structural designs that combine high sensitivity with mechanical adaptability, including crack-based sensors, ultrathin stretchable electrodes, and self-powered biosensing systems. Through selected examples, we illustrate how these systems are engineered and applied to monitor muscle contraction, fatigue, and metabolic state. We also reflect on current technical challenges, such as maintaining signal quality during motion, ensuring long-term skin compatibility, and achieving reliable multimodal integration. Altogether, this review highlights how interdisciplinary advances at the intersection of materials science, electronics, and muscle physiology are shaping the next generation of wearable platforms for diagnostics, rehabilitation, and interactive biomedical technologies.