  Purpose: From the myofibrils to the whole muscle scale, muscle
micro-constituents exhibit passive and active mechanical properties,
potentially coupled to electrical, chemical, and thermal properties.
Experimental characterization of some of these properties is currently not
available for all muscle constituents. Multiscale multiphysics models have
recently gained interest as a numerical alternative to investigate the healthy
and diseased physiological behavior of the skeletal muscle. Methods: This paper
refers to the multiscale mechanical models proposed in the literature to
investigate the mechanical properties and behavior of skeletal muscles. More
specifically, we focus on the scale transition methods, constitutive laws and
experimental data implemented in these models. Results: Using scale transition
methods such as homogenization, coupled to appropriate constitutive behavior of
the constituents, these models explore the mechanisms of ageing, myopathies,
sportive injuries, and muscle contraction. Conclusion: Emerging trends include
the development of multiphysics simulations and the coupling of modeling with
the acquisition of experimental data at different scales, with increasing focus
to little known constituents such as the extracellular matrix and the protein
titin.
