Innovations　related　to　textiles-based　sensors　have　drawn　great　interest　due　to　their　outstanding　merits　of　flexibility,　comfort,　low　cost,　and　wearability.　Textile-based　sensors　are　often　tied　to　certain　parts　of　the　human　body　to　collect　mechanical,　physical,　and　chemical　stimuli　to　identify　and　record　human　health　and　exercise.　Until　now,　much　research　and　review　work　has　been　carried　out　to　summarize　and　promote　the　development　of　textile-based　sensors.　As　a　feature,　we　focus　on　textile-based　mechanical　sensors　(TMSs),　especially　on　their　advantages　and　the　way　they　achieve　performance　optimizations　in　this　review.　We　first　adopt　a　novel　approach　to　introduce　different　kinds　of　TMSs　by　combining　sensing　mechanisms,　textile　structure,　and　novel　fabricating　strategies　for　implementing　TMSs　and　focusing　on　critical　performance　criteria　such　as　sensitivity,　response　range,　response　time,　and　stability.　Next,　we　summarize　their　great　advantages　over　other　flexible　sensors,　and　their　potential　applications　in　health　monitoring,　motion　recognition,　and　human-machine　interaction.　Finally,　we　present　the　challenges　and　prospects　to　provide　meaningful　guidelines　and　directions　for　future　research.　The　TMSs　play　an　important　role　in　promoting　the　development　of　the　emerging　Internet　of　Things,　which　can　make　health　monitoring　and　everyday　objects　connect　more　smartly,　conveniently,　and　comfortably　efficiently　in　a　wearable　way　in　the　coming　years.