The disclosure features adaptive sleeves that include a sensor, an electronic processor connected to the sensor, an adjustable voltage source connected to the electronic processor, and a sleeve formed of a fabric material and including one or more deformable elements attached to or embedded within the fabric material and connected to the adjustable voltage source, where during operation of the adaptive sleeve, the electronic processor is configured to apply a force to a portion of a body of a sleeve wearer in proximity to a contracted muscle in the wearer's body by receiving an input electrical signal from the sensor, and adjusting the voltage source to apply an output electrical signal to the one or more deformable elements, the output electrical signal having a magnitude that is correlated with a magnitude of the input electrical signal.